Secret Dream
by RiseOfTheLemming
Summary: Life is complicated. Maiyah Call knows that better than anyone. A split second decision can mean the difference between a whole lot of heartache and a happily ever after, but will Maiyah realise before it's too late? Paul/OC
1. Welcome to My Life

**A/N: Hello readers! Here's my new story! It is the sequel to my first story 'A New Understanding'! Go read it!**

**Please, please, please review at the end so I know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Welcome to My Life<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

Walking to school in the rain sucks. Walking to school in the rain when you know you have a perfectly good truck sitting in your driveway really sucks. Why aren't I using the truck? I hear you ask. Maybe if my stupid brother hadn't confiscated the keys after he caught me racing said truck down the highway I wouldn't be walking. I blame Jake. He was the one who suggested the race, but he's still got his car _and_ his keys. Not impressed.

So here I am, looking like a drowned rat as I trudge up the steps of La Push High School. It's not as if the rain makes me cold or anything, I mean the wolf genes kind of sort that out. Oh did I forget to mention? I'm kind of a freak of nature, what with being half wolf girl, half vampire. Long story short, some old forgotten legend said there would be some weird hybrid of vampire and Quileute blood. That's me... the weird hybrid.

It's been nine years since I entered the world of all things supernatural and I'm now seventeen years old and I've finally stopped aging to match my imprint, Paul Lahote. Ah Paul, what can I say about him, he's my best friend and I have no idea what I'd do without him. He's got me through everything. He's put up with my crazy teenage mood swings, my stupid temper, although I suppose he has the same problem, and he's just an all round great guy. Paul's eighteen. He's been eighteen for ten years now and I'm kind of glad that we're the same sort of age but it's just made everything awkward. So yes, I admit, I'm crushing on him. Me, hyperactive, slightly loopy Maiyah Call, crushing on Mr Perfect, Paul Lahote. Sigh. But I haven't told anyone so... shh.

I flung the door of my Geography class open and stumbled in, shaking off all the excess water as I went. Mr Tucker just glared at me.

"Morning everyone" I said loudly, making my way to my desk.

"Maiyah Call, you are very late" rumbled Mr Tucker, "one more strike and you're on detention"

"Whatever you say Mr Tucker" I said giving him a little salute. He had been threatening me with detention for the last year but never actually gave me one.

Mr Tucker just frowned and went back to teaching everyone about different volcanoes in the world. I turned to my left and grinned. My best friend, Amos Grady, smirked back, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. I chucked my pen lid at him, slouching in my chair as the lesson droned on. Oh the joys of senior year.

Lunch couldn't come fast enough. I sat with the usual crowd of Amos, Toby and Rachelle. Toby and Rachelle were a thing. It wasn't really surprising, they had been making gooey eyes at each other ever since the school disco in eighth grade and finally got together in sophomore year. I was kind of jealous. I had never actually had a boyfriend or a first kiss. I just didn't want to get anyone dragged into wolf world. Amos was a tricky subject when it came to the world of relationships. I tried to keep him as just my friend but he always wanted more. I didn't like to reject him but it was for the best. He would find someone better one day anyway.

"Hey guys" I said with a sigh as I dropped my full tray on the table.

"Hey Maiyah, how was Biology?" said Rachelle pinching an apple off my tray. I rolled my eyes.

"I don't see the point of it. I mean, sure, plants are interesting, but do we have to know about the structure of their cells?" I grumbled.

"It's a great subject" said Toby, making me raise my eyebrow at him.

"Dude, you get A star _star's_ in everything, you think learning about the Haber Process is fun" I said making Rachelle and Amos snort into their food.

"It's true, sorry Toby" said Rachelle and I rolled my eyes as she kissed his cheek.

"Hey Amos, can I get a ride after school? Embry's taken my keys again" I said sticking my lip out in a pout.

"Sure thing beautiful" said Amos with a wink. I just shook my head and carried on eating.

Ok, so Amos is kind of cute, scratch that, very cute. He aged well. Man I sound like I'm talking about an old man. But still, he was kind of goofy when we were kids so I didn't expect him to be much of a looker. I was wrong. I'm always wrong.

I sat through Maths wondering when I would ever need to use a quadratic equation in my life and just generally staring out the window. I know, senior year, I should be studying hard but I honestly couldn't care less. It wasn't as if I was going to go to some big university and study to become a lawyer. Let's face it, I was always going to be in La Push. It meant that my grades were slowly dropping much to the pack's disappointment.

I practically sprinted out of the room when the bell rang and stood by Amos' locker. He ambled along a few minutes later deep in conversation with his English teacher. He wasn't failing and planned on going to Yale to study English Literature.

"Hurry up before I grow old and die" I yelled as he rootled around in his bag.

"Hey, some of us actually care about school" he said raising his eyebrow at me, "so I will take all the time I like"

"Whatever, just hurry up" I snorted, "Paul's taking me to see a movie tonight and he said I can pick which one"

"Ooo, hot date? Seriously, I don't get why you're still friends with him" said Amos with a sigh.

"Shut up" I growled, hitting his arm. I was kind of protective over the bond I had with Paul, and Amos always seemed kind of jealous of it.

The ride back was loud. And violent. Hey, it's not my fault Amos has crappy taste in music and I felt the need to express my opinion.

"You owe me a new Lady Gaga CD" whined Amos as I threw the offending disc out of the window as we sailed down the road.

"Pfft, no. She is a ridiculous person with no sense of style. I mean, how many people do you see walking down the street wearing a chunk of raw meat? Exactly none. I'll find you some real music" I said with finality.

I grinned as Amos groaned when I cranked up the volume to One Direction's 'What Makes You Beautiful'. I loved my boy bands. One Direction, JLS or The Wanted were probably my favourites. The added bonus being that I knew Amos hated them.

I saluted him goodbye as he dropped me at Sam and Emily's house. I still spent a lot of time there even though Sam was no longer phasing. They had two amazing children. Matthew was 5 and Jenny was 8 and definitely my favourite. I know I shouldn't have favourites, but she was just the perfect little angel.

"Hey princess" I said as Jenny ran down the hall towards me.

"Hi Maiyah! Are you here to see Uncle Paul? He's really excited" she whispered loudly, making me laugh.

"I might be. But I'm sure he can wait" I said grinning as Jenny pulled me towards the kitchen.

"Hey mum, guess who I found" squeaked Jenny, running to Emily.

"Hi Maiyah, Paul's just out back with Sam" she said giving me a hug.

"Ah, he can wait. Let's have a brew" I said flicking the kettle on and grinning as Emily laughed and shook her head.

"So, how was school?" said Emily getting cups out.

"Delightful" I said sarcastically.

"Oh Maiyah, you have to at least try. School's important" said Emily seriously. I sighed and poured the water out.

"But I hate it! The only good subject is sport and that's only once a week" I grumbled, turning round as I heard thundering footsteps.

"Why didn't you come say hello?" whined Paul, looking all sad and dejected.

"You aren't the most important person in the world you know" I said laughing as he inched forward.

"Yes I am" he said, "and I'm your best friend so you should come say hello"

"You know, people would think I was the older person here" I said dramatically, holding my hand to my head.

Paul just stood there looking all hot and handsome and- _stop it._ I bit my lip as a cheeky grin spread across his face. I couldn't help it, he was totally irresistible, I flew into his arms and hugged him as though I hadn't seen him all year. It was easier to hug him now that I was older. I was 5'10", so fitted perfectly into his 6'3" frame.

"So who's the most important person again?" he whispered in my ear. I smiled into his shoulder.

"You are oh mighty best friend" I giggled back. That's right I giggled. Paul was the only one who ever got me to giggle and it was not a nice sound coming from me. I was more of a laugh hysterically at other people's pain type person.

"You got that right squirt" oh yeah, the nickname stuck.

"Right, to the movies!" I said as we broke apart both grinning like Cheshire Cats.

"Ok, but this time, I'm not letting you near the fizzy cola bottles" said Paul pointing a finger at me as I innocently batted my eyelashes.

The drive there was great. Luckily Paul always let me put my boy band music on and actually sang along with me. I tried not to stare at him too much, but he was just too amazing. He caught me staring a couple of times which made me blush like an idiot.

My heart rate picked up dramatically when Paul grabbed my hand to pull me through the crowd standing outside the cinema. I tried not to jump up and down like a crazy little girl but it was difficult. However, the thought that Paul didn't feel anything at all like that for me made me come down off my high straight away. He was my best friend, it was just a crush, I'd get over it. I had to get over it.

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><p><strong>AN: First chapter finished! Hope it was alright! Starting a new story is never my strong point but hopefully I got across some good bits!**

**Some of you may have noticed that this chapter has been edited with no extra summary. This is because one reviewer gave me a few pointers. So thankyou to **** .xoxo**** for the tips, even you aren't reading this anymore!**

**Please review the first chapter of Secret Dream!**

**-Lem x**


	2. Parent Teacher Night

**A/N: Hello again! Hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! I had a lot of fun writing it. **

Thankyou so much to **EvilEyeBeads, PhsychoPenguan64, Bookworm6193,** **the newest daughter **and **Molly **for reviewing the first chapter! You guys are the best!

**EvilEyeBeads- Got to love all those guys! And everyone needs a brew now and then :D**

**PhsycoPenguan64- Haha thankyou! I loved your rant! In the story so far I'm going to have it that Amos and Leah haven't met... yet ;)**

**Bookworm6193- Thankyou so much!**

**the newest daughter- Great set of points! I think point three was my favourite ;D**

**Molly- Thankyou!**

**ALSO, pictures of my characters for this story are now up! So go check them out so you can visualise! I always love to visualise characters and I had my Maiyah picked out for ages!  
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**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Parent Teacher Night<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

"Can I please have my keys today?" I pleaded as I ate my mountain of breakfast.

"No" said Embry as though it was just some little matter we were discussing and not my most prized possession and only mode of transport after the great bike incident of three months ago where I accidentally phased while cycling, therefore crushing my poor bike.

"Embry come on, it's been over a fortnight. You're killing me here" I groaned.

"Well maybe you should have thought about the consequences when you decided to have a very dangerous race on a very public highway" I could sense him starting to lose his cool.

"Why haven't you done anything to Jake? He was racing too" I grumbled as I rinsed my dishes.

"You seriously want me to tell off the alpha? I'm not that stupid Maiyah" he snorted smacking me lightly on the head.

"So when can I have them back?" I said with a loud sigh.

"You can have them back if, and I repeat _if_, you get a good report at the parent teacher event tonight" he said grinning as I scowled.

I never got a good report at parent teacher events and Embry knew it. Except this time I had a feeling it would be worse than every other time. For a start I had completely failed my mid term tests in both German and Maths and second, maybe worse, Paul was coming. I didn't really want him to see how badly I was doing. I always shrugged off questions about school but he was about to witness a very humiliating night for me.

I grabbed my bag and marched out of the house much earlier than I normally would in a vague attempt to get to school before the bell rang. I didn't know how many late marks in a row it would take before Mr Tucker actually took up his threat of detention. Surprisingly I actually made it to school with five whole minutes to spare. Rachelle looked as shocked as I felt when I appeared, grinning, by her side.

"You got your truck back?" she asked in surprise.

"Not yet, Embry said he'll give it back if I do well tonight" I said rolling my eyes.

"I guess you won't be getting it back anytime soon then" laughed Toby. I sent him a death glare. Just because he's a smarty pants.

"So anyway, how was the movie last night?" said Rachelle after hitting Toby in the stomach which sure did shut him up.

"It was great actually" was what I said out loud. I couldn't exactly come out and say I spent the majority of the film staring dreamily at Paul, who had fallen asleep after about fifteen minutes, and listening to his soft snores as I gazed longingly at his face while thinking how wonderful it would be to snuggle up against him and never leave his side. Yeah, that wouldn't really work too well.

"So what did you guys get up to?" I asked, snapping myself out of my memories from last night.

"Nothing much, just studied for the History test we have today" said Toby and Rachelle nodded along with him as I felt my world crash around me.

"History test?" I gasped in a very high pitched voice.

"Yeah, Miss Marr told us about it last week" said Rachelle.

"You-you're sure about that?" I could feel the sweaty palms starting... attractive, I know. They were silent and exchanged a look before cracking up laughing.

"Your face!" wheezed Rachelle slapping her knees as she bent over.

"Oh, har-har very funny guys, that was really hilarious" I said sarcastically as I pushed Rachelle, smirking as she stumbled into Toby.

"Morning guys, what's so funny?" said a very grumpy sounding Amos. I span round and burst out laughing myself. He was wearing a shirt that looked about a million times too small for him.

"Yeah laugh it up but you know I'll get you back" he huffed, folding his arms.

"Aww Amos, don't be like that, it's a good look" I said gripping onto his arm for support as I carried on laughing.

"Yeah, you could join the cheer leading squad with a top that small" joked Toby, earning a smack from Amos.

"You look fine" I said once I stopped laughing, "you'll have the girls all over you"

"You think?" he said smirking and wiggling his eyebrows at me. I have got to stop encouraging him.

"Aww you guys" cooed Rachelle clasping her hands together as she looked between me and Amos, "so sweet"

I growled at her and released my hold on Amos. Typical Rachelle, trying to play matchmaker between people, her main targets being me and Amos Grady. I don't think she will ever stop until she gets what she wants. If only I didn't have some ridiculous teenage crush on a guy who saw me as his little sister and a best friend who had a crush on me. Awkward always took on a new meaning every single day.

I bolted into school as soon as the bell rang. Mr Tucker looked shocked as hell when I was the first one through the door but I just flashed him a smile before taking my seat.

"Being early today won't get you extra marks for tonight you know" said Mr Tucker sternly.

"Trust me that is not why I'm early" I said rolling my eyes.

The rest of the day passed far too quickly for my liking. Well, except for lunch which went by excruciatingly slowly. Amos sat right up close next to me the whole time and kept trying to get his arm around me. Well I was having none of that. I kept having to leap up and grab bits of food from the counter to get away from him. It's not that I don't like him, I mean, he's one of the greatest guys I ever met but he's just not the one for me and I don't want to lead him on.

"Cheer up Maiyah, you're not going to die" said Toby cheerfully as we waited outside the school for our family members. We were the last two outside.

"Speak for yourself" I mumbled into my knees, "he's going to be so disappointed"

"Embry's cool, don't sweat it" said Toby, leaping up as his parents arrived. They dragged him inside and he waved one last time before going in.

"I meant Paul" I sighed to myself.

I could just picture his expression. I had only seen it once before and it had been the worst day of my life. I had come home early from school and that's when Paul discovered that I had started a fight with someone in my class after they poured paint all over my finished piece of art. He had looked so upset and hurt and worst of all, the disappointment. It had radiated off him in waves and he didn't talk to me the rest of that day.

I gulped as I saw Embry's truck pull up and he got out followed quickly by Paul. I quickly looked at the floor, any confidence I had remaining, completely leaving me. I tried to block out their footsteps but their shadows stopped in front of me and I was forced to look up. They had both quirked their eyebrows questioningly.

"Hey guys, didn't see you there" I laughed nervously, looking back at the ground. I was heaved up as they grabbed my arms.

"Come on squirt, it won't be that bad" said Paul cheerfully. I would have done a happy dance when he flung his arm round my shoulders but I just felt sick.

"Yeah, or no truck" said Embry not realising that I didn't actually care about my truck at that precise moment.

I was pulled into the building unwilling to face my doom.

Luckily the first teacher they saw was my English teacher. She went on and on about how wonderful my creative writing was and how my style was very 'flowery'. Flowery? What the hell does that mean? At least it was one good report.

"You've gone really pale. Are you feeling ok?" whispered Paul as we walked towards Mr Tucker.

"I-I... yeah" I whispered back as Paul gave my hand a squeeze.

Suddenly Embry just stopped in front of us. He just stood there with his mouth dangling open and staring at something across the hall.

"Oh crap" groaned Paul.

"What? What's happened?" I asked, panic rising in me.

"He's imprinted" Paul said simply. I didn't see how this was a bad thing. I thought imprinting was amazing.

"Well that's great" I said sounding a little bit enthusiastic.

"Not at your parent teacher meeting it's not. We're here for a reason" said Paul, pulling me and Embry over to my Geography teacher.

Embry didn't look like he was listening for the rest of the evening which I was very thankful for. Paul on the other hand was a different matter. The look on his face when my Maths teacher told him how badly I was doing was terrible. It made me feel horrible. Then when the German teacher broke the bad news it was even worse. His expression would stay with me for life. Paul was so disappointed. It was like he had lost all respect he had for me. I couldn't bring myself to look at him and he stayed quiet as we saw the last few teachers.

The drive back was deathly quiet. We had left Embry at the school so he could try and find his newfound imprint. I was happy for him, I really was, but the way I felt right then stopped me feeling anything but disgrace at myself.

Paul didn't say a word, just drove straight back. I could feel tears prickling in my eyes and I turned to face the window. I didn't want Paul to see me, I had already hurt him enough tonight. I wasn't crying for me, I was crying for the rest of the pack. I had let them down badly. They had all been through school and graduated with good grades. I was just a failure. I didn't deserve a place in the pack.

"Bye" I whispered as I exited the truck and walked towards my house.

"You've let me down Maiyah" I heard him say quietly.

I stopped walking but didn't turn around. My heart was clenching painfully. I had let down the person who meant the most to me. Of course he would never see me as anything but the stupid child that I was. I dropped my head and carried on into the house. I dropped to my knees as the door clicked shut and just let the tears flow. I had to change things, and I had to change them fast.

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><p><strong>AN: So, how was it? Hope you enjoyed it! Please, please, please review and let me know what you think! Also I'm thinking Paul's POV for the next chapter. What do you think? And don't worry, Paul can't stay mad at Maiyah for long!**

**Ooo, one last thing! Everyone should go and read Restless by EvilEyeBeads! It's a great story so go read and REVIEW... you get the hint? Good :D  
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**Please review! They always encourage me to write more :D  
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**-Lem x**


	3. That Split Second Decision

**A/N: Hello again! Can I just say wow! Got a great response to my last chapter! It made me want write this chapter straight away!  
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Thankyou so much to **AnnaMarie03, a, Bookworm6193, Bingo, PhyscoPenguan64, ****the newest daughter, ****BabyyKayy562 **and **BbyKaykez.5 **for reviewing!

**Bookworm6193- I got angry at Paul too! And I'm the one writing it! Don't worry, it will get better!**

**PhyscoPenguan64- I love all your comments! I had to make it that Amos and Leah haven't met so that part of the story makes sense! Hope you enjoy Paul's little snippet!**

**the newest daughter- lots of things are going to change, for better and worse! You'll get to meet Embry's imprint soon, maybe the next chapter?**

**READ THE A/N AT THE BOTTOM PLEASE!  
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**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: That Split Second Decision<strong>

**Paul's POV**

Shit. I messed up. How could I have been so mean to Maiyah? I had made her cry. I was a horrible imprint. I sat outside her house after taking her home and listened to her cry. I should have gone in and comforted her, told her that I wasn't mad, I just didn't understand. But I couldn't go in. I was scared that she wouldn't want to see me.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed with her school report, but to tell her that I was just made everything ten times worse. It was just a shock to discover that she failed two subjects. I knew that she always struggled with school, but to not let anyone know that she needed help was just difficult to understand. Worst of all, she was too similar to how I was at school. I didn't want the teachers looking down on her the way they had done to me, I knew how much it hurt to always be the brunt of their jokes of how stupid I was and I didn't want Maiyah to hurt like that, I had to protect her from it.

My heart was telling me to go inside, to tell Maiyah that I was sorry for what I said, but my mind told me no. If I went in now, she would think she could get away with it, she needed to learn and if it meant being separate for a while then so be it.

I sighed as Embry came wandering up the path with a dazed look on his face. He was lucky, he had found someone of his age straight away. It would be easy for him to just go into a relationship with her. Things with Maiyah were tricky. I didn't want to say anything to Maiyah or make any moves because I didn't know how she felt. I might still be a big brother and best friend to her, but for me, I was head over heels in love with her.

"Hey man" breathed Embry sitting on the porch step next to me, "why didn't you tell me imprinting was this good? She's amazing"

"I always told you, you just never listened" I said trying not to snap, "so what's she called?"

"Sadie Cooper. Her sister's in Maiyah's year apparently. But Sadie, she's just, wow, she's funny and smart and just wonderful" he breathed, going off in his own world for a moment, "she's letting me take her out on a date next week"

"You move fast" I snorted. Embry had never been that upfront with a girl, he always used to take it slow.

"I couldn't stop myself from asking" he sighed, grinning at the sky, "so why are you sitting out here? Isn't Maiyah inside?"

"Yeah, but I hurt her" I sighed, rubbing a hand over my face.

"You what?" yelled Embry. My eyes widened.

"No, I didn't hit her or anything, just chill" I said quickly, "I kind of told her I was really disappointed in her"

"What? Why? She's a great person. How could you say that to her?" said Embry, his brotherly defences instantly going up.

"She's failing Maths and German and her grades are low in lots of other subjects" I sighed.

"So? Not everyone is good at academic things, you should know that, I mean you were useless at school" said Embry making me feel even worse than I already did.

"Yeah but I don't want Maiyah to go through what I did. She might act all tough around the pack but she's not, not really, she just doesn't want to be picked on by people who think they're better than her. But the thing is, she's better than everyone else because she's strong, and funny, and so beautiful, and she cares about other people more than she does herself but no one gives her the credit she deserves and now I've messed everything up because I couldn't keep my big mouth shut" I couldn't stop the ranting once I'd started and I could feel the angry tremors rocking me. I looked over at Embry who was staring open mouthed as I raged on.

"Dude, you love her, huh?" he asked, his eyes still staring at me in shock. I swallowed self consciously. I hadn't actually got round to telling anyone that I was _in _love with Maiyah, and I'd just gone and blurted it out to her brother.

"Yeah" I said quietly, hoping he didn't try and kill me there and then.

"Well, if you apologise I'm sure she'll forgive you" said Embry smiling, "and just to let you in on a little secret, I think Maiyah has a thing for you too"

"W-what? Really?" I choked out. I couldn't believe what Embry said was true. Maiyah never acted differently around me and I didn't want to do anything just in case I ended up pushing her away.

"Hey, I'm not saying anything else" he laughed, pulling me to my feet, "now get inside and apologise before I kick you out"

I followed Embry into the house. He flopped on the couch and started texting Sadie. I sighed and made my way up the stairs to Maiyah's room. I stopped outside the door and heard Maiyah's soft breathing. She must have fallen asleep. I crept inside and over to Maiyah's bed where I crouched down. She looked so peaceful when she slept. I couldn't help but smile as she let out a soft sigh but then my smile faltered as I noticed the redness around her eyes and the pale streaks on her cheeks. Those tears were my fault. I softly stroked her cheek with my thumb and chuckled when Maiyah mumbled and tried to press her face into my hand. I cupped her cheek in my palm and sighed, wishing that she was mine.

"Maiyah" I whispered, softly, "wake up squirt"

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><p><strong>Maiyah's POV<strong>

There was something warm holding my face. It felt so nice and reminded me of Paul. I just wished he could be mine. I cracked my eyes open and felt my heart jolt as I locked my gaze with Paul's. My heart started pounding uncontrollably as I realised just how close he was to me and I found myself getting lost in the warmth of his beautiful brown eyes. I couldn't stop my gaze from flicking down to his lips. They looked to soft and, well, just _kissable_. My eyes widened as I realised where my train of thought was going. I would have to keep my mind in check whenever I phased.

"Maiyah? Are you ok?" he asked softly making me realise that I hadn't been listening to a word he had said.

"Sorry, what?" I whispered, trying to keep my heart rate down. I pulled myself up and sat cross legged facing where he was kneeling next to the bed.

"I just wanted to apologise, you know, for what I said earlier. I didn't really mean it, I swear, I just don't want you to have all the problems I had at school and I just want you to know that I will help you through everything and-"

"Paul, it's ok" I said cutting him off, "you don't have to worry about me, I'll be fine. I'll work hard and pull my socks up so you won't be disappointed anymore"

"What? No, Maiyah, please-"

"Paul, seriously, you meant what you said, I know that so... maybe it's just better if you go and leave me to just do my own thing" I said sharply. I knew in my heart that I didn't want him to go but if he was going to be that disappointed, then I didn't want him to see me failing anymore.

"No, you don't mean that, you can't..." he looked so heartbroken as he spoke, "I'm sorry, please, don't send me away"

I couldn't look at him anymore. It was killing me inside, the pain in my chest already building at the thought of separation from Paul. I couldn't speak. I felt the pain increase as Paul silently left.

I cried myself to sleep that night. I didn't respond to Embry when he tried to get me to eat something. I wasn't hungry. I awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of a lone wolf howling sorrowfully. It was Paul. I wrapped my arms around my chest to try and keep myself from falling apart. I vowed to do better. When I got a good mark I would show Paul. I felt sick. I had pushed him away when he was offering to help me. It was the wrong thing to do but I couldn't take it back. I raced through to the bathroom and managed to reach the toilet before heaving. I spent the rest of the night on the cold bathroom floor just wishing Paul was with me.

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><p>The next morning I felt horrible. I looked even worse than I felt. My face looked dull and my eyes were lifeless. Nothing I did made me feel any better. I trudged downstairs ready to walk to school when Embry stopped me.<p>

"Oh, hey" I mumbled pulling on a jacket for the first time in years, I felt cold.

"Where are you going?" he asked eyeing me nervously.

"School"

"Don't you want to drive?" I looked up at him in shock.

"But I did really badly last night" I said sounding more depressed with each word.

"Hey, don't worry about it, everyone has bad subjects. You know I failed Maths too? And I think you should talk to Paul later, he really didn't mean it" said Embry pulling me into a hug.

"I said some horrible things to him" I whispered in a shaky voice. Embry stroked my hair comfortingly as I shook in his arms.

"Yeah but you didn't mean them did you?" he asked and I shook my head, "well then, just talk to him. You guys can't fall out, that's like against the laws of nature or something"

I laughed quietly and pulled away from my brother. He was right, fighting with Paul was wrong. I smiled and nodded at Embry as he handed me the keys to my truck.

"No more racing though" he called through the door as I pulled out of the driveway.

I just smiled and carried on my way to school.

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><p>The day passed slowly. I was just counting down the minutes until school would finish. After school finished I planned to run straight out and over to Paul's place. Instead I got caught up chatting with my usual crowd.<p>

"So you got your truck back? Did Embry have an aneurism or something to make him change his mind?" laughed Toby as we stood by my truck.

"Very funny Toby" I said sarcastically, surreptitiously checking my watch for the time.

"Well he did say-"

"Toby, geez, just shut up" groaned Rachelle, smacking her head into Toby's shoulder.

I was getting more and more irritated by them. I knew it wasn't their fault but I really needed to talk to Paul.

"So Maiyah, how about now the stress of parent teacher night is out the way, me and you go out on a date some time?" said Amos with his arm around my shoulders.

"Yeah, fine"

My eyes widened in horrified shock at what had just happened. No. Freaking. Way. I said yes to Amos. Why the freaking hell did I do that? I love Paul, not Amos. Oh my god could this day get any worse?

"Yes? You finally said yes" yelled Amos triumphantly. I just nodded mutely, the horror and guilt washing through me.

"I- I err... have to go" I said clambering into my truck and revving the engine.

"How about this Saturday? I'll pick you up at 3" said Amos excitedly, his smile stretched across his face in joy. I just nodded again and sped off.

I stood outside Paul's front door not moving. I couldn't knock. I felt too guilty. Not only did I have to apologise for what I said last night, I had to tell the person I was in love with that I was going on a date with someone else. Shit.

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><p><strong>AN: Woah. So, Amos and Maiyah, huh? What do you think? Sorry the chapter was a bit depressing with all the Paul stuff!**

**Right, so recently I've been having Friday as an update day but it feels like too long, so how about Monday and Friday as update days for this story? Say mashed potato for yes and soggy cabbage for no :D and if you want two updates a week you have to promise to review lots and lots!  
><strong>

**Anyway, please review and let me know if you like it still! More reviews mean happy me therefore better chapters :D**

**-Lem x**


	4. Telling Paul

**A/N: Hello again! I'm going to call all you people the Dream Team because this is Secret Dream! So hello Dream Team! Yes... I'm weird, I have been told.**

Thankyou so much to **PhyscoPenguan64, Bookworm6193, BabyyKayy592,** **BbyKaykez.5 **and **MyAwesomenessIsAwesome **for reviewing the last chapter!

**Let's try and get more reviews than ever before or I won't update next week :P oh yes, blackmail is the key!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: Telling Paul<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

I knocked timidly on Paul's front door. I hoped maybe he was out so I didn't have to tell him about Amos. He wasn't out. That much was obvious when he opened the door and stared at me.

"Hi" I said trying to keep the nerves out of my voice.

"Hey" he said cautiously, probably thinking I was here to tell him to leave me alone again.

"I'm really sorry about what I said last night. I was just a bit messed up with everything and I didn't want to let you down but I did, badly, and I know I screwed up at school but I promise to try harder and get better grades, although I'm not promising anything in German. I mean come on, who's ridiculous idea was it to send the verb to the end of the sentence after because? I could maybe scrape a D in maths if I work hard and... I'm rambling, woops. But seriously Paul, I just came to apologise, because I shouldn't push you away and I don't want us to fight anymore" I said having complete and utter verbal diarrhoea. I rolled backwards on my heels and clapped my hands together. Paul was still staring at me but he had one eyebrow raised and a small smile on his lips.

"Wow" he said with a chuckle, "I'm really happy that you're going to try your best because that's all you can do, but please, don't apologise. It's me that should be apologising, so Maiyah, I'm really sorry for being a meanie"

I bit my lip, trying to hold back my smile as he pulled out his trademark puppy dog eyes and stepped forward. Paul always looked so adorable when he used that expression and I could feel myself melting under his gaze. I couldn't bring myself to tell him about Amos right then.

"So, we're good?" he asked, his hands twitching to reach forward. I had to fight my own urge to just reach forward and grab him.

"We're good" I said grinning.

"Great" said Paul pulling me into a hug, "but I'm still going to help you with work"

"Don't strain yourself" I said with a snort. I laughed even harder when he got me in a headlock and dragged me into the house.

"You do know I'm older and therefore wiser and stronger than you?" he said pompously.

"Oh please, I once tricked you into eating a garden snail" I said pulling at his arm, I looked up at him and raised an eyebrow, "I was ten and you still ate it"

"But I have to do what you tell me" he said pouting and releasing me. I straightened up and smirked. It's true. Paul did whatever I told him to and I did anything he told me to do. I would probably jump in front of a bus if he told me to.

"So what do you fancy doing?" he asked leaning against the wall with his arms folded, looking all smouldering and totally hot.

"Wii?" I suggested with an evil smirk.

"Mario karts?" he shot back, already racing to plug in the console.

"Hell to the yes! Bagsie Yoshi" I yelled, flying onto the sofa, all thoughts of Amos wiped entirely from my mind.

"Oh I will wipe your Yoshi on the walls with my Mario" snorted Paul, handing me a controller and plonking down next to me.

"It is on" I said leaning back as Paul pressed the start button.

I lost the first game. Badly. Naturally, I told Paul that I lost on purpose. I don't think he believed me so I smacked him in the face while we were on the second race to put him off.

"You're such a cheater" he whined as I flew over the finish line ahead of him.

"Suck on that big guy" I yelled, punching the air.

"Well you can just eat my dust" he said setting up for the next race.

As soon as it started, Paul grabbed onto me and got me in a headlock. No matter how much I struggled I couldn't get out of his grip. Trying to race with my view obscured by Paul's giant arms was very difficult and I ended up losing the next five races. Although by the end of the fifth race I had come up with a plan of escape. Quickly, while Paul was changing a few settings, I grabbed his arm and broke free before leaping on top of him and leaning back so that he was pressed against the sofa.

"Get off me fatty" he yelled, squirming underneath me. Not going to lie, being this close to Paul was making my heart pound uncontrollably.

"Just drive" I said slapping his leg.

My breathing hitched as Paul put his arms round my waist and held the controller in front of me.

"Shuffle" he mumbled.

I swallowed and nodded mutely before shuffling down in his lap. Paul rested his chin on my shoulder and I shuddered involuntarily as his breath tickled my neck. I don't know what it was, but there was something perfect about this moment. I felt, I don't know, _complete._ I sighed and relaxed against him, my cheek resting against Paul's cheek.

"You ready?" he breathed, his elbows squeezing my waist lightly.

"Uh huh" I squeaked, my hands gripping the Wii control tighter than normal.

Needless to say, I lost every race after that. I could hardly concentrate on anything with Paul behind me, any sane thoughts in my head completely evaporating as my brain turned to mush. He was definitely bad for my health. I could quite happily stay right where I was for the rest of forever. It would be like all of my dreams coming true. I had learnt to block my thoughts from the pack. If they ever saw what happened in my dreams, I would run to the most southerly tip of South America, curl up into a ball and die from the embarrassment of having my pack mates know that I fantasized about Paul Lahote.

"You ok?" said Paul, pulling me out of my daze.

"Yeah" I said turning to face Paul.

I forgot how close we were to each other, our faces less than an inch apart. My grip on the controller went slack and I heard Paul's clatter to the floor. Everything was clicking into place, my body acting on its own as I twisted in Paul's lap. My fingers brushed against his cheek and found their way into his hair. It was so much softer than I had dreamed about. My other hand cupped his jaw as I felt his hands gripping my waist. A niggling thought in the back of my mind told me that I should stop, but honestly, I didn't want to.

"Maiyah" breathed Paul, his warm breath wafting across my face.

"Huh?" I breathed, the ability to form words being nonexistent at this point.

Paul didn't respond, but his hand slid up my back and cupped the back of my head. My heart thudding almost violently as butterflies erupted in my stomach. I felt myself lean closer a few millimetres and my head tilted slightly to the right.

Then the most perfect moment in my life so far was shattered. Destroyed by one memory. Amos. I gasped, my eyes going wide, and leapt out of Paul's grip. My heart kept thumping, but this time it was an ache. I was ecstatic, but at the same time completely horrified. On the one hand, I had just been about to kiss the man of my desire and he hadn't pushed me away, but then I had agreed to go on a date... with someone else. Could it get much worse? Oh. Yeah. I had to tell him.

"Maiyah, what's wrong?" asked Paul looking crest fallen and confused but with a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes as he leaned forward.

"N-nothing" I stammered, taking a step back and crashing into the wall.

"Look, if you're embarrassed or you didn't want me to do... that, well you don't need to worry, I won't do it again if you don't want me to" Paul's expression grew even more depressed, and I felt my heart shatter as I realised he felt the same way about me as I did about him, "I'm not saying I don't want to, I mean, sure I want to. I want what you want. I guess I-"

"Paul, shut up" I gasped, clutching my head in my hands as he rambled on.

"What? What is it?" said Paul sounding distraught.

"I forgot to tell you something" I whispered staring at the floor, I put my hand to Paul's chest to stop him as he stepped forward, "no, Paul, I can't do this"

"What the hell are you talking about, Maiyah?" demanded Paul, his tone getting harder as his confusion grew.

"I have a date" I whispered unbelievably quietly.

"You have a... as in... with a boy?" said Paul weakly, stepping away from me.

"I'm sorry. I meant to tell you earlier but then I just completely forgot and you were really distracting me" I muttered, staring at a stain on the rug.

"So... you don't actually like me? You were just... I don't even know what, but... who is he?" Paul said getting louder. I had to lie. Lying would let Paul believe we were still friends, no matter how much I wanted it to change.

"I don't like you" I said quietly, "and... it's Amos"

There was silence but I could see Paul shaking almost to a blur out of the corner of my eye. A great pain settled in my chest as I felt what I was doing to Paul and myself. I slipped around him and ran for the exit. The wheels on my truck squealed in protest as I tore out of his drive.

I pulled over in a lay-by as my vision grew too blurred to see properly. I smacked my head against the steering wheel and sobbed hysterically. I had made the biggest mistakes of my life today and made a mess of everything. I clawed at my ears as I heard Paul's agonised howls cut through the air. A gust of wind hit me as the driver's door opened.

"Come on" said Leah softly, pushing me into the passenger seat as I continued to sob pathetically, "let's get you out of here"

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><p><strong>AN: Well that is NOT how I planned on having the chapter! The whole almost kiss thing was a complete accident... I swear! Don't be too mad! Also, PhyscoPenguan64, don't get too mad at Amos! I would like him to survive to the next chapter! Although I think you will like what I have planned :P**

**Right, so I updated on a Monday (quite clearly) but I won't update on Friday unless I get like... 10 reviews! So review away people! Yes... I am ambitious :P**

**-Lem x**


	5. Paul's Anger

**A/N: Hello Dream Team! Right, well, after a pretty depressing lecture I decided that I need to lighten up the day!**

Thankyou very much to **EvilEyeBeads, TeamPaul15, ILOVEJADE, PhyscoPenguan64, Andreagirl1234, the newest daughter, MyAwesomenessIsAwesome, CSIGetteBlue, ****Bookworm6193 **and **HoboJen **for reviewing the last chapter and making me very happy! I got my 10 reviews :D THANKYOU!

**EvilEyeBeads- No Amos and Leah just yet :P and don't let your characters get to you! They are yours, poke them until they stay in line!**

**PhyscoPenguan64- I really do love your comments! Sorry for making it a tad depressing! It will be happy soon... well in a few chapters! Hope you enjoy this little snippet of Paul :P**

**Andreagirl1234- Thankyou very much! I don't think Maiyah will be nearing death anytime soon... maybe in the future though! Good luck with your story writing :D**

**HoboJen- Thankyou :D it makes me happy that you're enjoying my stories! And Leah will definitely have her own happy ending :D  
><strong>

**Also, I apologise in advance if any of Paul's language is found offensive. He's an angry guy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: Paul's Anger<strong>

**Paul's POV**

Maiyah was going on a date. My imprint was going on a date. She was going on a date with someone that wasn't me. I was meant to be the only one for her, that was the point of the imprint. And worst of all, she was going on a date with Amos Grady. I had never really liked the kid but now, I felt only hatred and anger that he was stealing my girl away from me. Especially after what very nearly just happened. She was going to kiss me, I know she was, and she wanted to as well. Hell, I had waited years for her to feel like that towards me and then, when I had it within touching distance, that ass of a kid, Amos, had to rip her away from me. I was so angry. I could feel the shaking getting faster. Maiyah slipped away from me, disappearing from sight and leaving my heart a shattered mess.

I dragged myself out of the house, any piece of sanity that had been holding me together completely shot as the rage consumed me and I burst into an angry ball of fur, only just managing to save my shorts. I ran into the woods and howled out my agony. My heart felt like it was being burnt and twisted and cut in as many ways as possible. The pain was excruciating. The pain of rejection. I howled loudly again, a sound filled with the anguish that burned within me.

I snarled as images of Amos touching my Maiyah popped into my head. I didn't want him to be anywhere near her. I howled as my paws dug into the dirt and I pushed myself forward. I skidded to a stop just before the trees thinned out and growled as I eyed the house in front of me. I phased to human and pulled on the shorts before storming across the open yard. I hammered on the door, not caring when I heard the wood splinter slightly. As soon as the door opened a crack, I pushed it all the way open.

"What are you doing here?" asked Amos, his voice trembling slightly.

"What the fuck do you think I'm doing here?" I snarled clenching my fists.

"Maiyah? Is something wrong with her?" he asked looking pale.

"I'm sure she's just fine, what with bagging a date with you" I snarled, the words tearing at my heart.

"What? You jealous because I got your girl?" he said with a snort. I felt a growl erupt from my chest.

"She is my girl" I hissed, feeling my skin boiling with the effort of keeping my control together.

"I don't think she is mate. Who's the one who's got a date with her?" Amos was taunting me and it was working.

"I am not your fucking 'mate'" I ground out, pushing him against the doorframe.

"Maiyah wouldn't like the way you're talking to me" sneered Amos setting off another growl from me.

"Don't say her name" I snarled, my grip on his shoulders tightening. Maiyah's name just sounded wrong being said by Amos.

"Or what? You'll rip me up?" jeered Amos, but I could hear the hint of fear in his voice, "she'll be my girlfriend soon and then you'll never have her"

I released Amos and stepped back as the horror of what he said washed over me. I would never have her. Then the rage built again and as Amos moved away from the wall, I pulled back my arm and punched him in the face.

"I swear, I would quite happily rip you apart right now, but you're not worth the effort. If you hurt Maiyah, if there's even so much as one scratch on her, physically or emotionally, you will be sorry. I don't know what she sees in you, but you best treat her right" I spat as he lay sprawled on the ground, crying like a baby, "you don't deserve Maiyah"

I raced away after that. All of the pent up anger exploding as I reached the forest. I ran and ran, blocking my mind off to the rest of the pack who had heard my howling earlier. I ran past Leah's house and caught Maiyah's scent. As I ran closer I could hear soft sobs and Leah murmuring words. I didn't think it was possible for my heart to break any more than it had, but as soon as I heard Maiyah's choked sobs, my chest just felt like a black hole of pain. I pushed my legs faster than ever before. I had to remember that she chose Amos, but it still hurt. My imprint didn't choose me.

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><p><strong>Maiyah's POV<strong>

I woke up the next morning feeling sick. Sick, depressed and in a lot of pain. Leah had taken me to hers last night after she found me having an emotional breakdown in the road. I had cried for hours. I wasn't even sure what was making me cry. Part of it was knowing that I had agreed to a date with Amos when I knew that I shouldn't have because I didn't like him like that at all. I would hurt him. But a greater part of it was realising that Paul cared about me just as much as I did about him, but I only realised once it was too late.

I groaned and curled up in a ball under the sheet Leah had given me. I shivered as I felt the cold affect me. I wasn't used to feeling cold. It was scaring me. I clenched my fists as a horribly familiar tingling feeling shot through my fingers. I heard Leah enter the room but I didn't move, everything hurt too much.

"Hey kid, you ready to tell me what you were crying about yesterday?" she said rubbing my arm. I shivered and flinched away from her warm hand.

"I can't" I whispered in a croaky voice. I didn't want her to know. It was my problem to fix.

"I know something's wrong Maiyah, I'm not stupid, but if you don't want to tell me that's fine, we've all got our problems, hey?" she said sighing.

"I don't feel so good" I muttered, crossing my arms across my chest. I was going to black out as the vampire and Quileute genes mixed.

"Shit! It's happening again isn't it?" she asked leaping up, I nodded, my eyes only half open, "what do I do? Shall I call someone? Do you need anything? I'll call Paul, you'd like that, huh?"

"N-no" I stuttered, shaking my head at the mention of Paul but unable to say anything else.

"It'll be ok, right? Are you comfortable? Don't want you to get cramped up or anything" said Leah, laughing nervously.

"Uh huh" I breathed as I felt the vampire venom burning through me and the blackness of unconsciousness washed over me.

It was dark when I finally came around, the lamp on the side table lighting the room softly. I swallowed thickly as a pain that didn't have anything to do with the blackout settled back in my chest. I turned my head to the side and saw Leah sitting in an armchair texting someone.

"Leah" I said hoarsely.

"Hey kid, welcome back" she said helping me sit up and handing me a glass of water, "oh, I tried Paul but there was no answer and no one's too sure where he's run off to, but I'm sure he'll be back for you. Oh, and Embry came but he's gone to meet Sadie or something like that"

I sipped on the water, not willing to be the one to say that it was my fault in the first place. I also felt guilty. I hadn't really asked Embry about Sadie and I knew he was really excited to finally have imprinted.

"Ooo, almost forgot, Amos rang Embry" said Leah, making me choke a little on the water, "he says can you phone him back to talk about tomorrow. What's happening tomorrow then?"

"Oh, err, I'm going on a date with Amos" I said quietly.

"A date with Amos?" exclaimed Leah, "have you told anyone?"

"Yeah, I told Paul" I mumbled, "that's why he's running"

"Wow. Well, good for you getting a date! And Paul's just being a jerk if he's upset about it. He's meant to give you anything you need and if this is what you choose then he should accept it" said Leah getting up and taking my glass, "you ok to stand yet?"

I nodded and let Leah help me up. I felt kind of shaky still but I managed to make it through to the kitchen. Looking at the clock, I realised it was later than I first thought. It was nearly 11pm. I sighed and grabbed a sandwich that Leah made for me. I ate it slowly and got my phone out. There were a few texts from Amos asking if I was ok and to call him when I could. I finished the sandwich and held my finger over the call button. I closed my eyes and pressed call before holding the phone to my ear and listening to the ring tone.

"Maiyah? Hey, are you ok? Embry told me you were having another blackout" said Amos in a worried voice.

"Hey, yeah I'm ok, just at Leah's" I said with a sigh, "so did I miss much at school?"

"Err... don't know. I didn't go in today, wasn't feeling great" he said with a nervous laugh, "but we're still on for tomorrow right?"

"Yeah, sure" I said as a stabbing pain went through my chest.

"Ok, great! I was thinking maybe a movie then dinner at that pizza place? Is that ok? You have no idea how happy you made me when you said yes, Maiyah" he said and I could hear the excitement in his voice.

"That sounds good" I said gripping onto the table.

"You sure you're ok? You sound kind of out of it" said Amos cautiously.

"Sorry, I kind of only just woke up" I said, forcing out a laugh.

"Ok, well I've got to go, my mum's coming up, but I'll see you tomorrow at three" he said before hanging up.

I sighed and laid my head on the table. Maybe going out with Amos wouldn't be that bad. He had helped keep me together when I had been separated from Paul once before, maybe this time would be the same. I still had to talk to Paul though. I needed to know that he was ok. I got up and stumbled through to the front room where Leah was watching a rerun of some quiz show.

"I'm heading out" I said as she looked up, "I'll probably go back home after, but thanks for everything and sorry for being such a girl"

"We all have bad days" she said pulling me into a hug, "and you know your best friend in the world, that's me by the way, will always look after you"

"Yeah, yeah" I said snorting, "but thanks"

As soon as I got outside, I stripped down and phased. The tension hit me hard and I stumbled slightly, knocking into a tree as I went into the forest. I could hear Jake in my head and someone else who was blocking all their thoughts.

_Maiyah, what are you doing? It's not your patrol yet – Jake_

_Yeah I know, I need to talk to Paul – Me_

_Ok, maybe you can actually get him to come back, he's up near Canada – Jake_

_I'm not promising anything, but, can you make sure no one else phases in? I don't want any of them to see anything – Me_

_Sure thing Maiyah, good luck – Jake_

Jake phased out and I was left alone with the wall that was Paul. I took a deep breath and pushed my legs fast towards the Canadian border. I tried to talk to Paul, to tell him not to run anymore, that I was sorry, but there was never a reply. I ran for hours just searching for him. Because he had shut off his mind, I couldn't see any of his surroundings, I had to track him by following his weak scent. The scent got stronger in a very foggy part of the forest. I padded carefully through the undergrowth and entered a small clearing. I caught sight of Paul lying with his head on his paws, his eyes half open and watching my every move.

_Paul? Please let me in – Me_

I whined sadly at him and stepped closer to him. He didn't respond, just huffed out a low breath. I stepped even closer, and when he didn't tell me to leave, I butted his head gently with my nose.

_Please, I need to tell you how sorry I am. I didn't mean to hurt you, I wouldn't ever do it on purpose, please believe me, please come back – Me_

Paul still didn't respond, but closed his eyes and I was horrified to see a tear roll down his fur. I whined and pressed my nose to the side of his face. I don't know what possessed me to do it, but my tongue flicked out and I licked away his tears. His fur tasted salty so I knew he had been crying much more. I lifted my paw and put it across his neck, licking his face to wash away any trace of the tears.

_Phase – Paul_

I stepped away from Paul and phased back, pulling on my clothes quickly. Paul phased and pulled on his very muddy shorts. I stared at the ground, not really wanting to see the expression on Paul's face.

"Maiyah" he said in a hoarse voice. I looked up and swallowed as I saw his pained expression.

"Paul, I am so sorry, I don't know what I was thinking yesterday" I said pressing my palms together.

"Maiyah, it's ok" said Paul stepping forward, "it's me who should be apologising. We've been best friends for too long to let something stupid tear us apart"

Paul stopped right in front of me and placed his hands on my shoulders. At the contact, I felt some of the weight that had been in my chest, lift. I took in a great shuddering gasp as I felt the tears sting my eyes.

"I didn't mean to hurt you" I choked out as the tears rolled down my cheeks. Paul moved his hands to either side of my head and he wiped away some of the tears.

"Maiyah, listen to me" said Paul softly but firmly, "when I first imprinted on you, I swore to protect you, to always be there for you no matter what, and to honour and respect any decisions you would make. Yesterday, I broke that promise. I shouldn't have got angry. You should be living your life just the way you want to, so if going on a date with someone is what you want, then I respect that. Whoever you end up with will be the luckiest guy in the world to have someone as perfect and beautiful as you to call their own"

I couldn't stop crying as Paul kept talking, my hands gripping his arms, his forehead pressed against mine. Why did he have to be so perfect? But he was giving me up to someone I knew he didn't really like and it had to be the most selfless thing I had seen him do.

"We'll still be friends though, right?" I sobbed, gripping his arms a little tighter.

"Best friends, always" he said with a sigh. I sniffed loudly and my eyes met his.

"Thankyou" I whispered.

"For what?" he asked in confusion.

"For being you" I mumbled. Paul blinked at me, wiping my cheeks again. I shifted and wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him close to me. I wished I could rewind the last few days but I knew I couldn't. I was going to give the thing with Amos a shot and maybe, just maybe, he would make me happy the way Paul did. Urgh, I need to stop comparing them.

"The date's tomorrow, well today, but you know" I said nervously, letting go of Paul. He smiled and kissed the top of my head.

"I hope you have fun" he said gently, "come on, let's go home. You need your beauty sleep if you want to look alive tomorrow"

"Oi, I would still look good if I went out with mud on my face" I said trying to joke a bit.

"That's true" he said before looking at me thoughtfully, a wicked grin breaking out on his face, "just like now then"

He ran off into the woods and I heard him phase. I growled and phased, chasing after him. I felt so much better now that Paul and I had talked. The pain that had been in my chest was mostly gone, but there was a part that ached without any signs of letting up. It didn't seem to take long to run back to La Push with Paul. We phased back and walked down the road to my house, stopping outside to say goodnight.

"This doesn't mean that I'm going to stop fighting for you though" said Paul, and I sighed with a small smile, "I'll try not to hurt you though"

"Just as long as you're always there, then I'll be happy" I said giving him a last hug and turning towards the house.

"Oh, and Maiyah" I turned and raised an eyebrow at Paul's guilty expression, "Amos might look a little different when you see him tomorrow"

"What do you mean?" I asked slowly.

"Well, I was kind of angry and well, tried to rearrange his face?" he said it as though it was a question. I couldn't help the snort that came from me.

"Night Paul" I said shaking my head and going inside.

Ok, so he had punched my date in the face, but that was what Paul was like, he did things before really thinking about them. I chuckled as I imagined Amos trying to stand up to Paul. Amos wouldn't have stood a chance. I sighed. It was all a bit messed up. Maybe one day my life would magically straighten itself out and I wouldn't hurt the people I cared about. I curled up in bed and fell asleep to the sound of a lone wolf howling.

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><p><strong>AN: So Paul has 'accepted' Maiyah's decision. Doesn't mean it won't hurt them both. What did you think of it? **

**Also, definitely going to have Friday and Monday as update days :)  
><strong>

**Please review and let me know how your brain cells work!**

**-Lem x**


	6. The Date

**A/N: Hello peoples! I realised I hadn't written this update ready for putting up so I've done it quite quickly but a lot of planning went into it! Hope you still enjoy it!**

Thankyou very much to **Honiahaka02, Andreagirl1234, PhyscoPenguan64 **and **ILOVEJADE **for reviewing the last chapter!

**Honiahaka02- I loved your review! Yes, Maiyah is being very stupid! I sometimes wish to slap her!**

**Andreagirl1234- Don't worry! It won't go as smoothly as anyone thought!**

**PhyscoPenguan64- I literally laughed out loud reading your review! It was brilliant! I'll try to go a bit anti-Amos soon!**

**ILOVEJADE- Thankyou! That means a lot!**

**ALSO, I editted this chapter to include something that PhyscoPenguan64 and Andreagirl1234 were wanting. Hopefully you guys enjoy the extra Paul!  
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**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 6: The Date<strong>

**Paul's POV**

I felt kind of relieved that I had made up with Maiyah. She seemed so confused about everything that was happening and genuinely upset that she had hurt me. I didn't want her to see me like that. Weak, lonely, hurt, but she came and found me and picked me up.

After I dropped her home, the anger that I had somehow managed to suppress came back with a vengeance. Maiyah obviously wasn't completely committed to whatever she had with Amos and I really wanted her to see that I was so much better for her. We would be perfect together. I growled into the night as I imagined a future where Maiyah was with Amos. That little shit didn't deserve my girl, and yes, she was _my_ girl. I sound like a possessive freak.

I had loads of messages on my phone when I got in. I sat listening to them and was horrified to learn that Maiyah had had a fit yesterday and I hadn't been there for her because I was busy being an idiot. There was also a message from someone I wasn't expecting. Amos Grady. His message got me really angry. It was all him saying how I hadn't scared him and that Maiyah would never go back to me when she realised what a violent, jealous person I was. I sat and listened to the message three times before deleting it and pressing the call button. I didn't care if it was three in the morning or if he was nursing his poor bruised face. I would do more than bruise his face. It took a while, but Amos eventually answered, sleep colouring his tone.

"What do you want?" he said groggily.

"I want to see you. Now" I snarled.

"Now? Are you insane? It's the middle of the night" whisper yelled Amos.

"I don't fucking care. Just meet me at the top of the cliffs in fifteen minutes" I said before hanging up.

I sat waiting on the cliffs getting impatient. Amos eventually turned up looked dishevelled but alert. I stood up to my full height. I was only about three or four inches taller than him, but my extra muscle made me seem bigger than I was.

"What's this about?" asked Amos suspiciously.

"What do you think?" I replied, trying to keep my cool for as long as possible.

"Still jealous because I got Maiyah then?" he said smirking and folding his arms. I obviously didn't hit him hard enough the other day.

"Look, I was pissed that Maiyah accepted your offer, but I could have got over it. But then I get back and there's a message from you, just rubbing it in my face. How do you think that made me feel Amos?" I spat out his name in disgust.

"Hey, it's not my fault you have jealousy and anger issues" said Amos holding his hands up, "but it makes me feel good to know that she chose me over you because honestly, I don't have a lot going for me"

"What is that supposed to make me feel sorry for you? Or happy that you managed to get a girl? Even if it is my imprint" I scoffed angrily.

"Imprint? What?" asked Amos with a blank expression.

"You didn't know? Why do you think I've stuck by her all these years? Did you think I was a paedo or something? She's my imprint, my perfect match" I let the words sink in, a look of understanding crossing Amos' face before going in for the kill, "and I'm her imprint"

"You're what? No, no way. Why would she have said yes to me if she imprinted on you?" he asked in confusion.

"Because our imprint relationship is changing and she hasn't handled it very well" I said, wincing slightly. Hold up, why am I having a semi-normal conversation with this boy? I need to get my head in gear.

"She obviously doesn't see you like that though" said Amos, his smirk back in place. I growled and he stepped back.

"Did I not get the message across the other night? She will be mine" I said, enunciating every word.

"In your dreams" snorted Amos. That's it, I've had enough.

I lunged forward and grabbed a fistful of Amos' t shirt. I lifted him off the ground and walked backwards slowly until he was dangling in mid air over the edge of the cliff.

"You want to go for a little swim?" I hissed with venom in my voice.

"You're crazy. Put me down" he cried out in fear, his hands gripping at my arms.

"Listen close Amos Grady" I said menacingly quietly, "you are a scumbag. You don't respect people. I know that because I have had to watch you grow up next to Maiyah. Don't you ever say that I am jealous of you, I don't want anything you have to offer and Maiyah will realise you can't make her happy. I would quite happily drop you right now because you are really getting on my nerves and-"

"Paul" yelled a voice from behind me. I looked over my shoulder and saw Jacob standing in the tree line.

"Jake" I said gruffly.

"Bring him back off the edge" ordered Jake in his damn alpha voice.

Slowly I walked backwards and placed the now snivelling Amos back on his feet. I turned to face Jake who had a face like thunder.

"Amos, go home" he said with authority. I narrowed my eyes as Amos ran off.

"Jake, I was just messing" I said trembling slightly.

"Paul, you are not very stable right now so I don't know what you could have done. You have to clean up your act if you want to have any sort of chance with Maiyah" he said, still using his alpha tone, "now go and get some sleep. I'll talk to you tomorrow when you're calm"

I nodded and ran off. Maybe I wasn't stable, but when Maiyah was involved, I would protect her.

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><p><strong>Maiyah's POV<strong>

I woke up at about midday after staying out so late last night. I felt so empty that I considered just staying in bed and playing sick, but I knew no one would fall for that so I reluctantly dragged myself out of bed.

"Morning sleepy" said Embry as I walked into the kitchen. He was just eating lunch.

"Morning" I grunted back, not having the energy to say anything else.

"So where did you get to last night?" he probed.

"Out"

"With Paul?" he said wiggling his eyebrows at me. I tensed and froze, accidentally sloshing milk over the counter.

"It wasn't like that" I said in a tight voice as the ache in my chest throbbed.

"Oh come on Maiyah, I know you want him" I turned and dropped my bowl of cereal on the floor, barely flinching as it shattered, "I've seen the way you look at him"

"Shut up" I growled beginning to shake.

"What? It's not like the world doesn't know you love him" Embry scoffed, leaning back in his chair, "and personally speaking, I think you're stupid to have agreed to go on a date with Amos"

"Embry, shut the hell up" I snarled, trying to control the shaking, "you think I don't know how stupid I am? You think I don't know how much I've messed up? It hurts ok? It really hurts"

I got a teensy bit choked up at the end so turned back to face the kitchen counter. I heard the crunch of cereal and then Embry was next to me. I turned to him and wrapped my arms around him, scrunching my face up as I felt tears sting my eyes. Even though we were sort of a similar age now, he was still my big brother and I needed him when I was down.

"I'm sorry Moomin" he mumbled as I squeezed him tighter.

"It's ok, you're just being your usual moronic self" I said laughing a little, "I'll make it right one day though"

"I know you will" he said kissing the top of my head, "but first, clean up your mess. I am not your slave"

"Man I hate you" I said pushing Embry away from me and searching for a dustpan and brush. Embry just laughed and went back to his pile of sandwiches.

"So how's your bird?" I asked as I swept.

"My bird? Oh, you mean Sadie" he said, his eyes glazing over slightly, "she's amazing"

I cleaned the rest of the floor and stood staring at him.

"Well... expand on that please brother" I said waving my hands.

"Oh right, well, she's got the most amazing green eyes and dark brown hair and she's beautiful" he said with a dreamy expression on his face, one I had never seen before, "you know she's studying physics? How does anyone's brain even do that? But she's not like a science nerd, she's cool, like really cool and I'm taking her out tomorrow"

"Wow, never thought I'd hear you talk about a girl like that" I said in astonishment. Embry went red which made me laugh.

"Yeah, well, she's the only girl for me now" he mumbled into a slice of bread.

I bounded across the room and hooked my arm onto his elbow, grinning up at him.

"So when can I meet me sister-in-law-to-be?" I asked, getting all up in his face.

"Never, if you're going to act like an idiot" he said shoving my head away with his hand.

"What?" I said trying to sound all shocked and horrified, but it just came out as amused.

"Well, you've not exactly been yourself the last few days. If you want everything to go back to normal, you need to sort out all your problems and at least act like yourself" said Embry tapping my nose.

"Since when did you become the wise owl?" I grumbled, knowing he was right.

"I am eight years older than you" he said smugly.

"Technically I'm a year older than you because I've stopped aging at seventeen and you were sixteen when..." I trailed off as Embry smirked at me, "oh fine you win"

I got up and made myself some toast, trying to make it seem like I was still in a mood with Embry but failing badly after snorting crumbs everywhere when he started dancing round the kitchen to the ketchup song when it came on the radio.

I ran up to my room when I noticed the time and realised that I only had half an hour to get ready. I didn't want to put much effort in because, let's face it, I'm not really wanting to impress Amos. I pulled on an old pair of jeans and a white t shirt with a picture of the seven dwarves on the front. I had never quite got over my Disney obsession. I grimaced when I looked in the mirror. There were bags under my eyes and I looked a bit ill. Oh well, that's my face, if he doesn't like it he can piss off. I pulled my hair into a high ponytail, not bothering to brush all the knots out. I had grown my hair back out after I realised Paul didn't really like it when I made Leah cut it short when I was nine. I looked at the clock and sighed. Five minutes before Amos was meant to be here.

"Confidence" I breathed to myself, "act normal"

As if on cue, the doorbell went and I slowly went downstairs to find Embry and Amos standing in a very awkward silence. I looked at Amos' face and nearly burst out laughing. The entire left side was a mixture of black and purple, obviously where Paul had 'accidentally' placed his fist. I glanced at Embry who was quite clearly biting his cheeks to stop the laughter bubbling out.

"Hi Maiyah, you look... nice" said Amos taking in my very casual appearance.

I raised my eyebrow at his use of the word nice. If it was Paul, he wouldn't care what I was wearing because he said I always looked good. _Oh my god. _There I go again comparing Amos to Paul. Really need to stop that.

"So, we going then?" I said as we all stood in the doorway. _Awkward._

"Oh, yeah, right" said Amos before walking back out the door.

"Don't worry about me, I'm right behind you" I muttered under my breath and I heard Embry snort with laughter.

"Have fun" he laughed before shutting the door in my face.

I took a deep breath and plastered a smile on my face. _Act natural. _It was true, I really hadn't been myself the last few days and I needed to seem at least a little bit excited about this whole date thing. I got into the passenger and smiled politely at Amos. He started the car up and turned the CD player on. I rolled my eyes and sighed as Katy Perry blasted out of the speakers. My fingers itched to eject the CD and throw it out of the window, but unfortunately that wouldn't stop him. He already had a new Lady Gaga CD after I threw the old one out the window.

"Do we have to listen to this?" I blurted out after quarter of an hour passed.

"Yeah, Katy Perry's great. Trust me, the more you listen, the more you'll like it" he said flashing a smile my way.

I took a deep breath and kept my gaze forward to stop from throttling him. I had been forced to listen to his music choices many times over the years and I never grew to like them.

We finally got to Port Angeles after what felt like an eternity in hell. We hadn't really spoken since the whole Katy Perry incident and I could feel the tiredness creeping in as last night caught up with me again. Amos parked up and we went to the cinema. Being the gentleman that he was, Amos chose the film himself. I rolled my eyes at his choice. He chose a scary film. Amos grinned at me as he took the tickets.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you" he said with a cocky smirk.

"Yippee for me" I said sarcastically following him into the screen.

The film started and ten minutes in I was seriously bored. The serial killer with the scratches on his face was nowhere near scary and the blood just looked like ketchup. I think the best part was that Amos was whimpering like a girl, his hands fixed around his face. I rolled my eyes and pulled out my phone.

_**Tell me again why I even bothered with this?**_

I was just about to slip my phone away when I felt it buzz with the reply.

_**Having fun then sis?**_

Argh he was so annoying.

_**Fuck you Embry**_

Why were brothers invented? They always made fun of you for something. I checked the time and groaned internally. An hour and a half left of this ridiculous film. My fingers itched to text Paul like I usually would when I was bored but I couldn't. It would make our awkward friendship even worse. I shoved my phone into my pocket and sat on my hands.

I took a quick nap while the film finished. I had dealt with vampires in my life, I hardly think a man dressed as a killer, who probably has a side job as a salesman, was meant to be scary then the world needed to be put right. I jolted awake when I heard the final murder victim scream. Checking my watch, I was happy to see only 5 minutes were left. I looked at Amos who had his knees pulled up on the chair. I had to drag him out of the cinema when the film finished.

"You alright?" I asked with minimal concern. Yes, Amos was my friend, but in this situation I couldn't wait to get away from him.

"Y-yeah fine" he stuttered giving a nervous smile.

"Great, so, pizza?" I asked feeling my stomach rumble.

"Yeah" he said gesturing down the street.

As we walked, Amos tried to take my hand. It felt weird having his hand in mine, so much colder than Paul's was, and it didn't fit properly with mine. I shook him off and smiled awkwardly at him. Amos went slightly red and cleared his throat.

"Sorry, it's just a bit weird still" I said giving a little chuckle.

"Yeah, sorry, I just really like you" he mumbled shoving his hands in his pockets. _Awkward._

"Err, yeah, about that..." I trailed off as Amos looked at me hopefully, "never mind"

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Why can't I just tell him? It would make life so much easier. Then Amos could go and find someone who could actually make him happy and I- *deep breath*- could be happy with Paul.

Amos stopped outside a really crappy looking little pizza house and gestured for me to go in first. I stared at the door before pushing it open and walking in. The cafe smelt of grease and stale sweat, my nose wrinkling as my enhanced senses picked up every disgusting smell. Amos smiled and pulled me towards a table that was smeared with ketchup and sprinkled with salt. I tried not to grimace as my arm brushed the sticky mess.

"They do great food" said Amos scanning the menu, "I might go for the chicken and garlic pizza. How about you? It's on me"

"Oh err, just ham and pineapple please" I said taking a quick glance at options.

"Great, I'll go order"

I released a deep breath when Amos went up to the counter. For my first ever date, this was cheap. And I mean proper cheap. From what Rachelle told me about her first date with Toby, he took her to a fancy Italian place, gave her a bunch of flowers and read her a lovely poem.

When the food finally arrived on our table, I was actually repulsed and I am never repulsed by food. It was dripping with grease and half burnt. I forced a smile as Amos tucked into his pizza. I tried, I really tried, to eat the pizza but when Amos went to the loo I chucked the rest of it in the bin. As soon as Amos came back we left and started the drive home.

"So, I really enjoyed today" said Amos, clutching at the steering wheel.

"Mm hmm" I mumbled, picking at my jeans.

The rest of the journey was quiet. Well, apart from Katy Perry who whined all the way home. When the car stopped outside mine it was nearly nine. I smiled at Amos and hastily got out of the car. He raced around and walked me up to the porch. We stood facing each other for a few minutes, me wondering how to get myself out of the massive grave that I was digging for myself and god only knows what Amos was thinking. Suddenly he moved forward and pressed his lips against mine. I gasped and pushed him back. There was no way in hell I was going to kiss him. Ever. Never.

"Sorry, I can't" I muttered looking at the floor.

"Oh, right, no worries" replied Amos and I glanced up at his suddenly red face.

We stood awkwardly on the porch. I rocked backwards on my heels and clamped my hands together.

"So, can I take you out for a second date?" asked Amos looking hopeful again.

"Listen, Amos" I started slowly, "I really don't think we should do this"

"What do you mean?" he asked looking confused.

"I'm just going to come out and say it" I said taking a deep breath, Amos nodded, "I think we should just be friends"

"Oh" he looked really hurt.

"No, I don't mean it in a bad way, I just, well, you're my best friend and it's just weird to think of you like that. You need to find someone who can make you happy, truly happy, the way I can't" I said pulling at the end of my hair. There was silence.

"It's Paul isn't it?" he asked suddenly looking very defensive. My jaw dropped.

"What makes you say that?" I asked, my own defences going up.

"You like him, I know you do and he obviously likes you otherwise he wouldn't have come round to mine shouting the odds" said Amos, his voice getting louder, when I didn't respond he continued, "no, it's fine, he can have you"

I stood flabbergasted as Amos stormed away and drove off. I should never have said yes to him, I never meant to, it was an accident, and now we probably weren't even friends. All because I didn't have the guts to tell him earlier. Now I had hurt Amos and Paul, two people who were closest to me. I slammed the front door shut behind me and yelled out curses as I kicked my shoes off. Embry popped his head out of the front room.

"Hey Maiyah, why don't you come on in here a minute?" he said smiling sympathetically.

"Piss off" I growled running upstairs and slamming my bedroom door.

I flung myself on my bed and screamed into my pillow. My head was spinning. Everything was happening too fast, getting me confused and making me choose bad decisions. I wanted it all to slow down.

* * *

><p><strong>Paul's POV<strong>

Embry invited me over to watch the game on the box. He said it was just to catch up but I knew he wanted to take my mind off Maiyah. He knew everything. Apparently Maiyah was a bit of a mess about the whole situation and I had itchy feet all afternoon, barely stopping myself from running right up to Port Angeles. Jake had spoken to me about my behaviour and made me apologise to Amos in the morning. It didn't mean that I suddenly had to like the boy.

Embry kept me occupied right up until the evening when we heard a car pull up. He forced me to stay in the front room while Maiyah talked to Amos. I nearly ran onto the porch and ripped Amos' face off when I heard him try and kiss her. She was my imprint. I should be the one kissing her, the one loving her more than anyone possibly could. But then, Maiyah was rejecting him, telling him she just wanted to be friends. Embry had to physically restrain me from going to Maiyah. When she burst into the house, Embry tried to get her to come in to the room but she just charged straight upstairs and I heard her muffled scream.

"Maybe you should just leave her tonight" said Embry quietly, patting me on the shoulder.

"But-"

"Paul, seriously, you know how she is when she gets like this. I don't think now is the right time. You've got forever with her, just let her have tonight alone" said Embry dragging me to the door.

I had to admit he was right. Maiyah would have a proper strop for hours. Usually I would have stayed with her, held her until she calmed down, just talking to her, but everything was changing. I took one last look up the stairs before heading out into the night. I would help my imprint tomorrow.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Voila, what did you think? I quite liked it if I'm honest. Although I have been writing it while watching Hustle and I haven't reread it so I don't even know if I've written the right words! I have a tendency of writing out what's going on in other times. So if I've written about stealing fake works of art blame the TV!**

**Still having Monday and Friday as update days so you don't miss any!  
><strong>

**Anywho, please review! Reviews make me want to write more!**

**-Lem x**


	7. Confusion Leads to Bad Ideas

**A/N: Evening all! Everyone enjoying the lovely cold snap that's hitting the UK? No? Me either. We ran out of gas on the boiler and it was blooming freezing! **

Thankyou so much to **EvilEyeBeads, PhyscoPenguan64, Bookworm6193, Andreagirl1234, the anonymous reviewer **and** HoboJen **for reviewing the last chapter! It means a lot guys!

**PhyscoPenguan64- Take a deep breath and calm! Unfortunately I won't be maiming Amos any time soon! Thanks for reviewing!**

**Bookworm6193- Cheap to the max! I don't really like Amos either but I'm going to have to start liking him again with what I have planned!**

**Andreagirl1234- Paul will definitely be treating Maiyah properly! Sadly not lilies as the make her sneeze (something tiny from A New Understanding) and not roses either because I think they're too cliché, but the racing idea is good and I may use it so thankyou!**

**HoboJen- After going back and reading, I do feel sorry for Amos as well, but he will get a happy ending! Thanks for reviewing!**

**Also people, this is very much a filler chapter! But please read and review as usual!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 7: Confusion Leads to Bad Ideas<strong>

**Jake's POV**

The pack was falling apart because of what was happening between Paul and Maiyah. No one knew how to act around them, even they weren't acting like normal. I was worried about Paul. He was unstable and his temper was spiking to extremes. I had never seen him threaten the life of a human the way he had with Amos and it had shaken the entire pack. Quil was staying in with Claire to make sure she didn't get caught up in anything, Seth and Collin kept themselves busy working at the garage, Leah was just being Leah and Embry was trying to keep Maiyah in check. I hadn't really had much contact with Maiyah so I wasn't too sure how she was coping with anything. I had heard about the disastrous date though and had to go and see Maiyah.

"Hey man" said Embry as he opened the door.

"Hey, is Maiyah in?" I asked following Embry into the kitchen.

"Ooo that's a brave topic for this morning" said Embry grimacing, "she's upstairs but won't come out of her room"

"Right, I'm on it" I said with a frown before making my way upstairs.

I tapped quietly on Maiyah's door and waited for her to reply. I knew from experience to not just barge in. There was a clunk from behind the door but no reply. I knocked again a little louder and leaned against the door post. I wasn't going anywhere until I had spoken to Maiyah.

"Go away Jake" I heard a miserable voice say.

"Maiyah, open up. I'm not leaving" I said firmly. There was silence for a few minutes.

"You can come in" said Maiyah quietly.

I opened the door slowly and cast my gaze around the room. It was spotless. Maiyah only ever cleaned her room when she was avoiding something. She was currently sat on her bed with her knees drawn up to her chest, a photo clutched in her hand. I moved across the room and pulled her desk chair over to the bed before sitting down.

"What have you got there?" I asked trying to keep the tone light. Maiyah just held the photo closer to her and shook her head.

"Nothing" she said and I noticed how her lip wobbled but she bit it before I could think anything of it.

"So yesterday wasn't great then" I stated deciding to get straight to the point. Maiyah screwed up her face and I knew the explosion was coming.

"It was shit. Amos is a complete dick. I didn't even want to go with him and it wasn't even fun. Then at the end he tried to kiss me and I felt like telling him to fuck off but I decided to be nice about it and then when I told him I only wanted to be friends, he went off on one about how it was all Paul's fault. It's not though. Ok, fine, I like Paul, but I was giving Amos a chance. And now I just feel like shit" I felt slightly startled by her little rant.

"Have you spoken to Paul about this? About how you feel?" I asked hoping that she might just say yes but knowing that she hadn't.

"No, it's embarrassing" Maiyah mumbled looking at the photo again.

"What's so embarrassing?" I probed trying to lean forward and see the picture but Maiyah moved it again.

"Because I'm just the little girl he shouldn't have imprinted on" she muttered bitterly. My eyes widened in shock. Did she not want to be imprinted with Paul?

"Imprinting is never a mistake. Paul loves you no matter what" I said urgently, trying to get rid of any anxiety or fear that she had.

"I know" she said quietly, "it's just embarrassing when I constantly want to jump him and have to hide everything from everyone"

"Wow. You are so not that little girl I once knew" I said shaking my head at her admission. Maiyah smirked and laughed a little.

"You got that right" she said with a sigh. I studied her for a moment before continuing.

"I have to tell you something about Paul, or more something that he did" I started nervously, gauging her reaction, "he threatened Amos, and I don't mean just the punch, I know you know about that. When he came back the other night there was a message from Amos. Apparently he was bragging to Paul about getting a date with you, but anyway, Paul got mad, real mad, and he met Amos. Things got a little heated and Paul nearly threw Amos off the cliff"

Maiyah sat motionless just staring at the picture she was still holding. I leant forward and looked into her eyes to try and fathom what she was feeling or thinking. All I saw was confusion, extreme confusion. Maybe I shouldn't have told her quite like that as she obviously wasn't in the right frame of mind at the moment. Suddenly she got up and started towards the door.

"Maiyah? Where are you going?" I asked shooting towards her.

"Out" was all she said before bolting downstairs and slamming her way out of the front door.

I groaned and slammed my head down into my hands. That did not go well. I had no idea what was going on with Maiyah but she was just as unstable as Paul was right now. I reached down and picked up the photo that Maiyah had dropped on the floor. I turned it over and sighed. It was a picture of her and Paul. Maiyah couldn't have been older than eleven from the looks of it. She and Paul were wearing identical grins and Paul was holding the remains of a very muddy school book. They both looked so unbelievably happy.

"What was all that about?" asked Embry as he sauntered into the room.

"I'll give you three guesses" I said still clutching the photo.

"Hmm, how about Paul? Paul? And Paul?" said Embry laughing.

"It's not meant to be like this" I groaned, "they need to talk to each other properly and, I don't know, make out or something"

"Eww Jake! You did not seriously just tell me that my baby sister needs to make out with one of my best friends" moaned Embry clapping his hands over his ears.

"Maiyah is definitely not a baby anymore Embry, trust me" I said handing him the crumpled picture, "I've got to go, but have fun with Sadie today"

I left Embry, who had suddenly gone into overdrive to get ready for his big date, and headed out into the forest. It was all quiet out. Sort of like the calm before the storm. I sighed and hoped my pack mates would sort everything out soon.

* * *

><p><strong>Maiyah's POV<strong>

I banged my fists against the solid wooden door. I had so many thoughts running through my mind that my head was a complete jumble. The door swung open and I was faced with a very puffy eyed Leah. I immediately flung my arms around her. Leah never cried. Only when she was having an 'I'm never going to find anyone or imprint' type days, did she ever cry.

"I'll put the kettle on" I said letting go of Leah.

She nodded and sniffled, clinging onto my arm as I made my way into the kitchen. None of the guys knew about Leah's days of deep depression, but I had become very familiar with them after accidentally bursting in on her when I was fourteen. Leah had sworn me to secrecy and from then on I had been to cheer her up every time she was down.

"I'm going to die a lonely old woman surrounded by cats and smelling of cabbage" moaned Leah, collapsing at the kitchen table.

"You won't be lonely. You'll have me" I said placing a steaming cup of tea in front of her, "we can be cat ladies together. So long as you don't call them stupid names like Cuthbert or Alfonso"

"I had a hamster called Alfonso once" sobbed Leah, "he escaped and fell in the cake tin and dad accidentally cooked him"

I honestly had to stop myself from snorting with laughter as image after image of hamster cake popped into my head.

"I'm sure Alfonso lived life to the full" I said rubbing Leah's arm.

"I'm going to bake all of my cats and I'll be struck down" choked out Leah as she reached for the tea.

"I'm sure baked cats taste lovely" I said sipping on my own tea.

"But you've got Paul" she sobbed, slopping tea everywhere as she put the cup down, "you guys will be all lovey dovey and forget about me while you have your little babies running around"

"That's ridiculous. There won't be any little babies. I'm sticking with you" I scoffed, shifting uncomfortably in my seat.

"Me and you against the world with our cats. Let's do it" hiccupped Leah stretching her arm out to me. I took her hand and squeezed it.

"Yep" I said with a sigh resting my head on the table. Leah seemed to calm down for a while before letting out a high pitched whine.

"Why can't I just freaking imprint already?" she yelled flinging the mug across the room.

"Trust me, it's not all it's cracked up to be" I grumbled, feeling the void that was Paul, aching and biting at my insides. Leah glanced across at me through her puffy eyes.

"Maybe for you but look at Sam and Jared. They're happy and married and they've got kids. I want that" she said before noticing how my expression fell, "what? Are you and Paul still fighting? Man that sucks"

After that we both spiralled down into the depths of despair. Leah was sobbing in front of pages and pages of hot male celebrities and trying to imprint with their pictures while I bawled my eyes out at Leah's feet. I turned my phone off after Embry called and told me to clean myself up. Needless to say, I haven't cleaned up or even really attempted to.

"This is useless" cried Leah, flinging a picture of Josh Duhamel across the room.

"I want P-Paul" I sobbed pathetically, banging my fists on the floor like a child.

"I want your Paul" wailed Leah flinging herself back in her chair.

"You can't h-have him, he's mine" I snivelled, getting possessive over my absent imprint.

"But you can't even get your own imprint so I want him" grumbled Leah.

"Fuck that shit. He's mine" I growled, launching myself at Leah and knocking her off the chair.

We scuffled for a while before we both stopped and burst into tears, clinging onto each other as though we might fall apart suddenly.

"We're g-going out" sobbed Leah pulling me up and dragging me through the house.

I tried to put up a fight but Leah's bigger than me and dragged me out anyway. She pushed me into her truck and slammed down the gas. We ended up in Port Angeles at some dodgy bar. We got in no problem what with looking older than we actually were, well in my case anyway. We sat up on the bar stools waiting to grab the bartenders attention.

"You ladies up for a good time?"

We looked behind us and saw a group of about six men crowding around us. I looked up at Leah who smiled and nodded at the guys. I could see her looking at each one of them in turn, and hiss in disappointment when she clearly didn't imprint.

"How about we try out a centurion?" said the leader of the group.

"Let's do it" said Leah wrapping an arm round my shoulders. I was kind of worried. I had no idea what a centurion was, I mean seriously, I was only seventeen.

Turns out a centurion is one hundred shots in one hundred minutes.

I felt like I was buzzing by the time we were half way through. Most of the guys were sloshing the shots around and falling off chairs by that point but Leah was just fine. She was actually smiling and laughing and I knew her earlier depression had completely evaporated. I laid my head on the bar and groaned. I wanted my pain to disappear.

"Hey baby girl, are you ok?" slurred a drunk man, draping his arm around my waist. I growled and shook him off.

"I'm fine" I said sharply grabbing another shot glass and continuing with the centurion.

The room was spinning quite a bit by the time we finished the centurion. Leah was laughing hysterically as most of the guys leant against anything they could find to stand up. I don't remember much after that. Apart from someone yelling something that made me reach out to the barman.

"Second centurion"

I woke up feeling wet. Surprisingly enough I didn't actually feel any bad side effects from yesterday's drinking rampage. Oh dear god. What the hell did I do yesterday? I looked around and groaned. I was lying next to Leah in the back of her truck somewhere in the middle of nowhere on the highway as the rain poured down on us. I couldn't remember anything from after the start of the second round. I nudged Leah who groaned and rolled into me.

"Leah, get off me" I groaned shoving her arm off my legs.

"Yes mum" she mumbled before spazzing out and sitting bolt upright, "what the actual freaking hell did we do last night?"

"I have no idea" I whispered, rubbing my hands over my face.

Leah crawled towards the edge of the truck and jumped onto the road, stretching her arms above her head. My eyes literally popped out of my head and my jaw hit the truck floor.

"Now I know I'm hot but do you have to stare?" said Leah with a wink and a smirk.

I couldn't even speak, just pointed and opened and closed my mouth, garbling complete gibberish. Leah looked down to where I was pointing and shrieked in horror? Happiness?

"Why have I got a pony tattooed into my hip? And not even a normal pony! A freaking My Little Pony, pony" yelled Leah scratching at the already perfectly healed tattoo.

"At least it's Rainbow Dash?" I offered in a horrified whisper.

"I don't care which freaking pony it is! It's a pony! It's not going to get any be-" Leah broke off, her expression slacking.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked nervously.

Leah grabbed my ankle and pulled me towards her along the truck. I felt my heart banging because I had absolutely no idea what had got Leah Clearwater so speechless. She slowly reached forward and lifted my t shirt a little before pulling it back down quickly, her eyes snapping up to mine.

"Is it a pony?" I asked with a shaky voice. Leah shook her head slowly.

"So much worse" she whispered stepping away from me.

I gulped and slowly looked down, my hands gripping the bottom of my shirt. I slowly pulled up the fabric and screamed bloody murder.

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><p><strong>AN: Hmm, split about this chapter as to whether I like it or not. There will be some Paul/Maiyah next chapter so don't worry! So what does everyone think Maiyah has as a tattoo? Also, I do not promote underage drinking. It's bad. Don't do it.**

**Anyway, please review lots and lots lovely reading people!**

**-Lem x**


	8. The Tattoo and the Friend Zone

**A/N: Hiya! So I'm really not in the mood to write my other stories so I thought I'd get the Monday update ready! After all I did only give you a filler on Friday.**

Thankyou so much to **FightingTheWolves, Honiahaka02, BabyyGirl808, RANDOM COOKIE NINJA, PhyscoPenguan64, Night Wolf, ****Andreagirl1234,** **HoboJen **and **EvilEyeBeads **for reviewing the last chapter! You all made me smile so much! I won't tell you if you were right about the tattoo, you'll just have to read on! But I'll say a lot of you were right!

**IMPORTANT NOTE: Just to warn you that I may not be able to update this coming Friday or Monday. My laptop charger has died and I'm currently waiting for the replacement which may or may not arrive in the near future. Sorry about this but there's nothing I can really do now!  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 8: The Tattoo and the Friend Zone<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

I was in so much trouble. Embry had never looked so angry. When I had finally made it home, he made me sit at the kitchen table and wait for Jake to show up. Leah had skulked home after Jake yelled down the phone at her and told her he would deal with us separately. So now I was sat waiting for my doom while Embry glowered at me from across the room. I felt like I was back to being a little kid and the tattoo on my hip felt like it was burning bright for the world to see.

I cringed into the chair when I heard the front door crash open. I nearly died. The ground might as well swallow me up right now. Jake came in followed by Paul. He kept his eyes locked on the ground and I averted my gaze, going back to staring at the very interesting pile of crumbs on the table as the tension in the room grew dramatically.

"I've spoken to Leah" said Jake solemnly as he and Paul sat down with Embry.

"Oh" was all I squeaked out. Cue long dramatic pause.

"She told me everything that happened last night" he said sharply and I lowered my head in shame. Jake was my friend but he was also my alpha and I had messed up.

"Sorry" I mumbled into my lap.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you" said Jake sternly in a half command. My head snapped up, my eyes locking with his. I hated Jake using his alpha voice, it always made me feel small and stupid. Generally because I had done something stupid but never mind.

"I know you're going through a confusing time, but that is no excuse for your actions. You're seventeen years old Maiyah. It's still illegal for you to be drinking no matter how old you might look. And then to get so drunk you don't remember anything? That's not something to be proud of, especially as a wolf can burn alcohol off so quickly. You're lucky I haven't taken this matter to the Council. As for getting a tattoo, I think you and Leah were both very stupid. You do realise that the tattoo is with you for life now? And if yours is anywhere near as ridiculous as Leah's then maybe it's a good reminder of why doing something this stupid is always bad" Jake finished his little speech, his eyes boring into mine to get me to understand better. I couldn't look away from him but I could hear Embry and Paul huffing and growling. I hadn't told them about the tattoo.

"I'm sorry Jake" I said sincerely, because honestly I was sorry, "I wasn't thinking straight"

"Damn right you weren't. You got a tattoo?" yelled Embry, finally losing his cool. My gaze moved to him. He looked seriously pissed off.

"Embry" growled Jake in warning, "Maiyah, I accept your apology, just please don't do it again"

"I won't, I promise" I said finally able to look away from Jake. Paul still hadn't said a word and it was unbelievably difficult not to just leap across the table and start begging forgiveness at his feet.

"Show us the ink then" said Jake sounding slightly amused, all hints that he was the alpha completely disappearing.

"No, no way" I said shaking my head furiously, feeling my cheeks burning at the thought of any of them seeing and spreading the word.

"Aww come on Maiyah, it can't be that bad" said Jake chuckling.

"Oi, don't encourage her" hissed Embry.

"Oh get a grip man, you can tell her off some more later" said Jake shoving Embry off his chair.

I couldn't stop the snort from erupting. I don't know why but Jake, and Sam as well when he was alpha, always let me off really lightly. Paul always said it was because I was too perfect for anyone to stay mad at me for too long. I never really believed him. I chanced a glance up at Paul while Jake and Embry were having a stupid scuffle. As soon as our eyes met, I felt the pull towards him. I could see him fidgeting and the look in his eyes told me he was having a serious internal battle. I gave him a small smile and bit my bottom lip when he seemed to freeze.

"So how about we see that tattoo now?" asked Jake grinning as he pinned Embry down.

"Not here" I said my eyes flickering to Paul for a fraction of a second.

Jake shrugged and walked through to the front room. I looked at Embry who rolled his eyes but followed Jake. Paul moved to get up but I shook my head, looking away from him and running into the other room. I knew he would be able to hear every word that was said but I didn't want him to see.

"So where is it then? Same place as Leah's?" asked Jake as he flopped into the armchair.

"It best be, I don't want to see your boobs" said Embry pretending to wretch and I swear I heard a strangled whine from the kitchen.

"Don't be gross Embry" I said slapping his arm, "yeah, same place as Leah's. Top of my right hip"

"Well, are you going to show us then?" asked Jake leaning forward expectantly after a long pause in which lots of chair creaking was heard from the kitchen.

"Ok, but don't say anything" I said glaring at them.

Embry and Jake both nodded. I took a deep breath and gripped the bottom of my shirt in one hand and the top of my jeans in the other. I parted the material and stared at the ceiling as Jake and Embry peered at my hip where the word 'Paul' was inked into my skin in fancy joined up letters. There was a pause.

"Shit" said Embry gawking.

"You know he's going to find out at some point don't you?" said Jake his eyes wide and glued to my tattoo.

"No, actually Jake, I thought I could go the rest of my life without him seeing it" I said sarcastically before chucking a cushion at him, "of course I know he's going to find out you idiot"

"Well little sis, you are definitely off the hook from me" grinned Embry leaning back, "I think the tattoo's enough punishment"

"I don't remember getting it" I groaned, smacking my head against Embry's shoulder, "why the hell would I get that as well? Of all the things! Why couldn't I just get one like Leah's?"

"Maybe because you lo-"

"I swear to god Jake, if you finish that sentence I will kick your butt, alpha or not" I growled menacingly.

There was silence as I glared at Jake who looked like he was about to bust up laughing. I heard Embry start choking and realised he'd been holding in his laughter as well. I stood up, shaking a little and ready to charge straight out of the room. As soon as Jake saw I was about to bolt, he grabbed my shoulder.

"Nuh uh Maiyah. You're coming with me" he said pulling me through to the kitchen where Paul was sat looking incredibly miserable, "you too Lahote"

Paul got up slowly and followed Jake as he dragged me outside. My mind went blank for a few moments, thinking of only one thing. Lahote. Hmm, Maiyah and Paul Lahote. Maiyah Lahote. I like the sound of that. I shook my head and blinked. I would definitely have to block my thoughts later. Jake stopped out in the back garden and let go of my shoulder.

"Right, I've had enough of you two moping about and getting into arguments" said Jake pointing at me and Paul, "so you are going to talk through whatever issues you have because the behaviour of both of you is messing with the pack dynamics"

I nodded and stared at the floor, my eyes darting to my t shirt, checking that it was covering the tattoo. The last thing I needed right now, was for Paul to find out that I had his name forever engraved in my hip. Jake marched off back into the house leaving me and Paul standing in a very awkward silence. I glanced up at him and found him staring straight back at me, the intensity of his gaze making my legs feel like jelly. I sat down cross legged in the overgrown grass and Paul followed suit, our knees a few painful millimetres apart.

"Can I go first?" I asked nervously pulling at the grass.

"Sure" said Paul, his husky voice sending a shiver down my spine. I took a deep breath.

"I'm really sorry Paul" I said keeping my eyes fixed firmly on an ant that was running around on my leg, "I'm sorry I made you mad. I never meant to hurt you and I know all of this mess is my fault. I've been selfish and stupid and-"

"Maiyah, no-"

"Paul, please, I need to explain" I practically begged him, reaching out but stopping before I reached him, "it was me that started this. When Amos asked me out, I wasn't thinking properly because, well, I was thinking about you. And I know that doesn't make sense because if I was thinking about you I shouldn't be thinking about other boys, but I was thinking of going to see you that night because I had to talk to you about my grades. I knew as soon as I said yes to Amos that I made a mistake but I completely forgot about him when I saw you and I just got caught up in the moment and then we, well, you know, and I felt awful because I hurt you so much. But then I could never make it right and Saturday was a disaster, I hated every minute and yesterday, god I was stupid and well, yeah. Ta da"

There was silence between us as my words sank in. I had rambled. Really badly. I don't think I even made any sense. I closed my eyes and sighed, my head dropping down. I jumped, my eyes snapping open and my head shooting up as I felt Paul's warm hand slip into mine. When I looked at Paul, he looked like he was almost in pain.

"I get what you're saying but I've done really stupid things" said Paul wincing slightly.

"Paul, Jake already told me" I said carefully. Paul seemed to slump and all I wanted to do was give him a hug but I stopped myself.

"You must hate me right now" he moaned bringing both our hands to his face and I felt my heart rate pick up at the new contact, "I threatened him"

"Of course I don't hate you" I said softly, trying to soothe him, "you were just acting out your feelings. I don't blame you, Amos can be a bit of an idiot and he was stupid winding you up"

Paul looked up at me from behind our joined hands, his eyes looking sad but hopeful. I smiled at him and he lowered our hands, a smile of his own growing on his face. I felt my heart flutter. Paul was literally breathtaking when he smiled.

"So we're cool? And properly cool this time?" said Paul his hands gripping mine a little tighter.

"Definitely. You and me are a team" I said grinning like a lunatic.

"A team" repeated Paul, his grin matching mine, "so, we're friends?"

I felt my smile falter slightly but I regained my composure before Paul could notice anything.

"Yeah, friends" I said with attempted cheeriness as I felt an immense sadness settling in my chest. Paul had just friend zoned me. All of my dreams shattered one by one, the fantasies I held onto where me and Paul were together, fell apart. All because I was in the friend zone.

"Don't I even get a hug?" said Paul pouting in an unintentionally hot way. I rolled my eyes and flew at Paul, knocking him backwards with the force. I kept my arms tight around his neck as he sat back up, breathing in the uniquely Paul scent.

"Do I get to see that tattoo now?" said Paul grinning and wiggling his eyebrows as I let go of him.

"Hell no" I yelled dropping backwards and subconsciously pulling the hem of my shirt down. Paul's face fell and I considered showing him for a split second but rejected the idea as soon as it formed.

"Why not? I thought we were friends now" whined Paul.

Both our heads snapped towards the house as we heard loud laughter erupt. I glared angrily at the walls even though I couldn't see them. I knew why they were laughing.

"The day you see this tattoo, is the day I go skinny dipping in the sea" I said turning my glare to Paul.

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep" said Paul smirking and shoving my shoulder.

"Who says I don't keep my promises?" I said glaring at him still. Paul gave me a look that turned my insides to mush.

"Very well. Just to let you know, I will be there filming the whole thing" he said laughing as he pulled me to my feet.

I huffed as he flung his arm round my shoulders and dragged me inside. Jake and Embry were stood waiting in the hall, knowing smirks plastered across their faces. I guess they just stopped maturing when they stopped aging.

"You guys are wazzocks, you know that" I said punching them both in the arm.

"Aww Maiyah, don't be like that. We're all just your friends" said Jake grinning as he pulled me away from Paul.

I growled as he patted the spot where my new tattoo was. Although I did make him alpha order Embry not to show what it was in the mind link. That would be beyond embarrassing. Especially now that I'm in the notorious friend zone.

"Oh and I called the school and said you were ill again, but you have to go in tomorrow if you want to graduate this year" said Jake messing my hair up.

"You best graduate" said Embry staring pointedly at me.

"She'll do just fine" said Paul puffing his chest out, "I'm going to help her with her studies"

"Jesus, well there'll be no graduation this year. Sorry Embry" said Jake shaking his head and patting Embry on the back.

"You guys are just jealous of my mad genius skills" said Paul hitting Jake round the head.

I laughed with Embry as Paul and Jake started fighting. I leant against the kitchen counter my eyes completely focussed on the way Paul's muscles moved with every hit he got on Jake. I looked up at Embry who smiled sympathetically.

"So how was your date with Sadie yesterday?" I asked as the other two continued to fight.

"It was great. I'm taking her out on Thursday for the movie night they do at that old warehouse. She likes the old films. You'll really like her. I might bring her round after if things go well" said Embry grinning and turning to flick on the kettle.

"I'd like that. I'm so happy for you" I squealed flinging my arms around my brother. At least one of the Call siblings was getting some romance in their life.

"Thanks Moomin. Your turn next" said Embry giving me a one armed hug.

I hoped he was right. I didn't want to be in the friend zone forever.

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><p><strong>AN: Not the dreaded friend zone! *Sigh* Oh well, maybe there will be some Paul/Maiyah loving in the next chapter! You'll just have to wait and see ;) **

**Oh god! I've left you all with the friend zone as an end point before my new charger arrives! Sorry again people! Hope you don't cry yourselves to sleep! Although I doubt you will because you're not all crazy addicted!  
><strong>

**Please review and let me know your thoughts!**

**-Lem x**


	9. Making Up and the Kids

**A/N: Sorry for not updating on Friday. My laptop charger still hadn't arrived so Monday was the earliest day I could do for you guys. Also I've been a tad ill and I didn't feel like writing anything.**

Thankyou so much to **Andreagirl1234, EvilEyeBeads, Bookworm6193, FightingTheWolf, PhyscoPenguan64 **and **MyAwesomenessIsAwesome **for reviewing the last chapter. You guys are great!

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 9: Making Up and the Kids<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

"Het Maiyah" said Rachelle as I dragged myself across the parking lot at school the next day.

"Hey" I mumbled feeling ridiculously tired. Quil had somehow managed to persuade me to swap patrols with him last night just so he could look after Claire who had the flu or something. It hadn't been a great idea as today was my first day back after a disastrous few days.

"So I heard what happened with Amos on Saturday" she said smiling sympathetically. I rolled my eyes. No way did I want sympathy about that.

"I told him we weren't right for each other. He just could never take no for an answer and neither could you" I moaned rubbing a hand over my face.

"Oh gee thanks" huffed Rachelle. I looked down at her and groaned. There I go putting my foot in it again.

"No, Rachelle, I didn't mean it in a bad way, I just never wanted to go out with him" I said quickly, damage control setting in, "shit, why can't I just shut my fat mouth"

"No don't apologise. It's my fault too. I should have just left it alone when you said you didn't want anything to do with Amos" said Rachelle with a sigh, "plus you always seem to be pining after that Paul guy"

Woah. Double Take. What? I had never spoken to Rachelle or anyone at school about Paul. They just wouldn't understand. To them, I was a seventeen year old teenager and Paul was a twenty eight year old who shouldn't want to be friends with me, but I knew, he was still the eighteen year old that he had been when he first phased.

"Say again?" I asked in an unnaturally high pitched voice, staring down at Rachelle.

"Well, whenever you two are around each other, you just sort of gravitate towards each other. It's kind of freaky but also really sweet" said Rachelle linking her arm through mine. She started trying to drag me towards the building which didn't work too well as she was a whole eight inches shorter than me at 5' 2".

"Me and Paul are just friends" I said hastily. Damn that annoying ache in my chest. I'd been able to ignore it pretty much all morning but now all this talk of Paul was just bringing it flooding back.

"I know there's like a massive age gap between you two, but do you want me to do a bit of the old matchmaking charm?" said Rachelle with a cheeky grin.

"Hell no. You are not going anywhere near my Paul"

"_Your _Paul? I see" said Rachelle, an annoyingly smug smile on her face. I growled in frustration at my stupid slip.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone" laughed Rachelle as she pranced off towards her English class.

Urgh Rachelle could be so infuriating when she got going with her little ideas about matchmaking. She had tried her 'charms' with two other girls in our year. Ever wondered why there are only two girls in our little friendship group? Oh yes, all down to Rachelle.

I sighed as I made my way to Geography. I groaned as I remembered the seating situation, right next to Amos. Great. Why did the world hate me? He was already in class when I went in. I flashed Mr Tucker my usual smile before sliding into my seat. I glanced across at Amos who was staring at the ceiling with a frown on his face. I rolled my eyes and turned back to the board.

The rest of the day pretty much carried on the same way. I would have a class with Amos and he would refuse to acknowledge my existence. Then we got to lunch. Awkward didn't even cover it. I sat with Toby and Rachelle as usual and Amos was already at the table. He didn't leave or anything, just sat there munching on his food.

"Lovely weather today isn't it" said Rachelle laughing nervously. I gave her a look and she went back to eating her lunch.

Silence reigned for the next ten minutes.

"So Maiyah, how's Paul?" asked Amos not looking up. I dropped the chip I was holding and stared at him.

"I'm sorry, you're talking to me now?" I asked in disbelief. Amos looked up at me and I could still see the hurt in his eyes.

"What? Am I not allowed to talk to you now?" he scoffed pushing his tray away from him aggressively. Oh he so did not just go looking for a fight.

"Well you haven't all day so why start now?" I said feeling the anger rising.

"Because maybe it's kind of embarrassing being shot down by your best friend who's clearly hung up on some other guy" Amos practically yelled, shocking me a little bit. I kind of didn't think of that.

"But I always said no to you before, why didn't you just accept that I only wanted your friendship?" I said trying to remain calm. Very difficult when I had Amos winding me up a little.

"Maybe I just wanted a chance" said Amos in exasperation, "I wanted you to see that I could make you happy the way Paul isn't. I know you're not happy without him and I just wanted you to make you smile properly"

I felt unbelievably guilty. Amos was on the verge of tears and practically the whole cafeteria was staring at us. Rachelle and Toby were just gawping at us, half eaten sandwiches dropped onto the table. I growled at anyone still looking and marched round the table to Amos. The looks of fear on a few people's faces made me smile inside but I had to sort this out with Amos right now or it would never be fixed. I grabbed his arm and dragged him outside where no one could spy on us. When we were safely out of view I pulled him into a tight hug as he finally broke down.

"I am so sorry Amos. I'm kind of blind when it comes to stuff like this. I guess that's the imprint working its magic" I said not letting go of Amos because let's face it, he really needed a shoulder to cry on. Literally.

"So you and Paul will end up together anyway?" said Amos quietly. I pulled back and frowned.

"Supposedly. But he just doesn't see me that way. I'm still eight years old to him" I said with a sigh. I leant against the wall and slid down to the floor. Amos sat down beside me and it felt like old times with my best friend.

"Well he's blind then if he can't see how amazing you are" chuckled Amos giving me a nudge sideways. Naturally I just shoved him back.

"You don't have to say that" I said with a snort. It's true, he didn't have to, mainly because I really wasn't amazing but you know, if he says it I'll just go with the flow.

"You know it's true" said a grinning Amos. I quirked my eyebrow at him and smirked.

"You're such an idiot sometimes" I said shoving him again before wrapping my arm round his shoulders, "but thanks for looking out for me. I know there's someone perfect out there for you"

"Pfft, yeah right. You find them, you ring me straight away" he said rolling his eyes.

We sat there for a while longer just chatting and it felt great to have my friend back. I don't think I would have survived if I was constantly fighting with Amos. He was like my rock whenever anything was going badly with the pack, I always had him for my escape. The bell rang for the end of lunch and we both groaned. I had Maths and I really needed to study hard if I wanted to graduate. Rachelle and Toby were waiting for us by the lockers looking a bit worried.

"Something wrong?" I asked grinning as we walked towards them.

"But you guys were going to eat each other" spluttered Toby, waving wildly between us.

"Dude seriously, I'm not an animal" I scoffed, pretending to take offence while Amos burst out laughing. He was the only one that knew about the pack.

Maths was a killer. I tried so hard to keep up with what Mrs Logan was saying but it was all just going straight over my head. I scribbled a few notes whenever she tried to explain and equation but my handwriting was a messy scrawl as I tried to jot everything down. Stupid Maths. Stupid Mrs Logan. Stupid graduation. She pulled me aside after class and gave me a pile of extra work. I wanted to die. By the time it was the end of the day, I felt exhausted and my stomach was rumbling so loudly I thought the school might fall down. After all, I had only eaten about half my lunch after the whole thing with Amos.

I walked out of school slowly, discussing the events of lunchtime once more with Rachelle. I stopped when I saw Paul leaning against my truck, arms folded, glaring at any student who looked his way. I rolled my eyes as I thought that some things never change. Rachelle left with Toby and I made my way over to the truck and Paul.

"Hey" I said brightly. May as well seem totally happy with the whole friend zone thing.

"Hey yourself" said Paul grinning and pulling me into a hug. I breathed in a subtly as I could, relishing the moment of being this close to Paul. As usual the moment didn't last.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I flung the pile of work I had into the truck.

"Everyone's going to Sam and Emily's tonight. Wouldn't want you to miss out" said Paul leaping in and squishing my perfectly piled notes. Ok, so they weren't perfectly piled, but he still sat on them.

"Excellent. I haven't seen the kids for ages" I said putting the truck into drive.

"Pfft, trust you to only want to see those little brats" snorted Paul making me hit him.

"They aren't brats. I bet you were way worse behaved when you were little" I said defensively.

"I was an angel" said Paul trying to look all innocent. I raised my eyebrow at him. No way in hell was he an angel.

"Mind if I put some music on?" I said fiddling with the dials on the stereo.

"Ooo, let me pick" yelled Paul bouncing in his seat.

"Bloody hell Paul, how old are you?" I said letting him choose a song.

"Yeah but you wouldn't like me if I was all boring" he said flashing me a smile that made my heart flutter. I just smirked in response and laughed at his song choice. It was 'Superman' by JLS. Paul always like to think of himself as the Superman of this song, swooping down and saving some poor damsel in distress. I wish he would swoop down and save me one day.

We got to Emily's and found everyone else there already. I swooped in on Kim who was holding one of her twins. Lily and Ryan were two now and getting to the stage where they want to discover everything and yell about it. They were both the same and never shut up, always wanting to yell louder than the other one. Kim often looked frazzled but Jared was always there to help.

"Wow, Jared you're looking a bit aged these days" I joked earning a swipe from him. I laughed and ducked out of the way.

"If you ever have kids I'm going to rip the shit out of you" he said grabbing hold of me and messing my hair up.

"Jared" screeched Kim, trying to cover Ryan's ears, "language"

"Sorry Kim" mumbled Jared going very red. I burst out laughing.

"How are you Kim?" I asked taking Ryan from her and pulling weird faces at him.

"Oh fine, just run off my feet with these three" she said sighing and swatting at Jared, "Jared's the worst"

"Always is" I said sticking my tongue out at Jared.

Jared went to protest but Kim gave him a hard stare. I laughed and stood up, shifting Ryan onto my hip.

"Right, I'm going to go find some food. I'll bring Ryan back in one piece, I promise" I said as Kim leant against Jared and sighed tiredly.

As I made my way to the kitchen, Jenny and Matthew came bombing towards me. I honestly loved these children, they were all amazing.

"Maiyah, can I show you the picture I drew?" said Jenny grabbing my hand.

"Of course princess, just let me grab some food first. I'm starving" I said entering the kitchen, my posse latched onto me like limpets.

"Then can I show you my room?" asked Matthew shyly. He always wanted to show me his room. I think I'd seen it a million times but he always found something to show me in there.

"Sure thing Matty" oh yeah, I even had a nickname for him. He beamed and clutched my leg.

Most of the pack were in the kitchen, eating as per usual. I strolled over to the table and tried to sit down and not squash one of my three fans in the process. Paul was standing by the counter with a very odd expression on his face. When I smiled at him he squeaked and made an excuse of needing to breathe the fresh air.

"How come all the kids love you?" whined Collin through a mouthful of pasta. Before I even had a chance to answer, Jenny spoke up.

"Maiyah's the best in the world" she said making me snort, then she turned to me, "why doesn't Uncle Collin think you're the best?"

"Because your Uncle Collin is silly" I said tapping her nose and making her giggle.

Quil and Seth both snorted into their food and I had to pretend to cough to stop my laughter. I finally settled on a chair, Jenny on one side of me, Matty on the other and Ryan on my lap. I grabbed some pasta and tried to eat carefully so I didn't drop any food on the little ones. I groaned internally when I heard the patter of tiny footsteps behind me.

"Up" demanded a little voice. I swivelled to face Lily who was waving her arms in the air. I smiled and bent down, pulling her onto my lap as well.

"Hey there Lily, how are you?" I asked letting her eat a bit of pasta.

"Good" she said chewing on the pasta before poking the mushed up food through her gappy teeth.

"Lily, no. That's not how to eat properly" I said sternly and giving her my no nonsense look.

"But Ryan does it" she said a little crease appearing on her forehead.

"Do not" yelled Ryan. Great. Here we go.

"Do too. Mummy saw you" screamed Lily.

"Mummy" screamed Ryan.

When Kim rushed into the room I thanked her a lot for taking the twins off me. They could be such a handful. Paul eventually came back in looking more normal. He sat down next to Matthew who absolutely adored him. Almost immediately Matty climbed into Paul's lap and grinned up at his hero. Luckily it was getting late and Sam came over to remove his babies.

"Finally, some peace and quiet" sighed Paul smacking his head on my shoulder, making my skin buzz.

"Aww, is the big baby tired too? Do you need a nap?" I mocked him, patting him on the head.

"You're so mean to me" moaned Paul pulling puppy dog eyes on me when his head left my shoulder.

"You wouldn't like me if I wasn't" I joked, using his line from earlier.

"I hate you so much right now" he huffed. Ouch. Yes I knew he was joking but it still hurt.

"Just as much as I hate you" I laughed, mentally changing the word hate, to love.

"Never" said Paul grinning and kissing my temple.

Heaven. I've died and gone to heaven. His hot breath tickled my skin making it tingle and send electric shocks running through my body. Then I remembered that I should breathe and that we were just friends. Friends kissed each other on the head all the time, right?

Paul went back to eating his food, not noticing anything was wrong. I sat frozen in my chair and half dopey smile on my face. I caught sight of Emily biting her lip over by the sink. I got up and went over to her.

"What's up?" I asked giving her a quick hug.

"Why can't he see?" she whispered quietly, her gaze fixed on Paul who was hoovering up his second plate of pasta.

"We're friends Emily. Just leave it" I said with a sigh, rubbing my hand over my face.

"Sorry Maiyah" she said smiling sympathetically and turning to fill the kettle.

"In other news, I made up with Amos. Everything's cool" I said smiling happily.

"Oh that's wonderful" said Emily beaming.

"Yeah, maybe now everything will start falling into place" I said leaning my back against the counter and gazing longingly at Paul who was now making some sort of bet with Quil.

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><p><strong>AN: There it is! Sorry it's a bit late tonight. I only started it at like 5 when I got in from the cinema. I went to see Star Wars in 3D if you were wondering! It was amazing! So much better on the big screen than on a TV. I love reliving my childhood of films! Felt like I was eight years old all over again! That's right, I watched it at the cinema the first time round. I don't think some of you were even born then!**

**Right I'm rambling. Sorry.**

**Please review and let me know what you thought!**

**-Lem x**


	10. Everything Happens on a Thursday

**A/N: Hello again! Anyone else getting totally annoyed with not being able to log in on here all the time?**

Thankyou so much to **PhyscoPenguan64, EvilEyeBeads, TeamPaul15 **and **Andreagirl1234 **for reviewing the last chapter! I promise to try and give you all something you like in this chapter!

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 10: Everything Happens on a Thursday<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

**11pm**

It was a Thursday. Everything seems to happen on a Thursday. This time last week I accidentally accepted the offer of a date with Amos, got painfully close to kissing Paul and then subsequently fell out with him. This Thursday I met an imprint, watched another imprint happen and had my own imprint drama. So it's Thursday still and I'm currently kissing the most amazing man in the world. Perhaps I'm dreaming. Maybe I should go back and explain.

**7 Hours Earlier- 4pm**

As soon as I got in from school I knew I had to start on the mountain of work that was rapidly piling up. If I wanted any chance at graduating I needed to complete it all with at least 80% accuracy. It was slowly killing me and I'd only been home from school for ten minutes. Paul told me he wanted to help me study and yesterday was the first time he came round to help. I discovered he can be very distracting when he has that serious, concentrating face on. He wouldn't be round today though, he had patrol until 7 and I didn't like to study past then in case my brain exploded.

Embry was going on his second date with Sadie Cooper this evening and said I would get to meet her after. I was looking forward to it actually. After all, she would end up as my future sister-in-law whether she knew it yet or not. The whole pack worked at a garage they had set up and it was a thriving business. Embry had been sent home from work by Sam. Apparently he was just too jumpy to be working on cars. It also meant that he was home to harass me with all his worries and problems over stuff like what to wear. Honestly, he was such a girl sometimes.

"Maiyah, please just help me. I swear this is the last time I'll ask" he begged as he raced into my room.

"You said that the last three times you came in here" I said in a flat tone and giving him a look.

"But I mean it this time" he whined looking like a lost puppy.

I sighed and rolled off my bed. Embry grabbed my arm and dragged me down the corridor to his room which was an absolute tip. He had clothes strewn everywhere in his mad panic to find the perfect shirt.

"Which one?" he asked holding up two practically identical light blue shirts. I raised my eyebrow and folded my arms.

"You can't be serious?" I snorted attempting to leave. Embry leapt in front of me and blocked my exit.

"You don't understand. I really want to impress her" he said in exasperation.

I narrowed my eyes slightly. Of course I understood. No matter what I did to try and make Paul notice me, it never made any difference. I sighed as I realised Embry really did need help. I studied to two shirts and finally picked out the one with the white cuffs.

"She'll love it" I reassured him with a smile as he put it on, his fingers shaking madly.

Embry rushed into the bathroom and as I walked past to go back to my room, I saw him trying to straighten out his hair. I chuckled to myself. He really was trying to impress this girl.

I stretched back out on my bed surrounded by equations and graphs. Lovely. I managed to get a whole half hour of work in before I heard a strangled cry from down the hall. I smacked my head against the calculator and groaned as I heard Embry's pounding footsteps coming my way.

"She's coming here" he cried out when he reached my room.

"Yes, I know. You told me the whole plan. When you've finished with dinner, you're going to bring her-"

"No" yelled Embry, cutting me off, "she's coming now! I haven't tidied my room up or anything. What if she thinks I'm a tramp?"

"You're taking her into your room?" I asked with a frown before groaning, "I did not need to know that. I think I'll go out tonight if you're going to be doing the dirty with your bird"

"Ok fine, but can you keep her busy while I try and fix the place up a bit?" asked Embry already tugging on my jumper.

"Fine, but if I fail my senior year, I'm blaming you" I grumbled as I got up again, "when's she getting here?"

"In like two minutes" said Embry who was suddenly beaming.

I stomped downstairs and dropped onto the sofa, flicking on the TV. I flipped through the channels but just left it on the news. I leapt up when I heard the doorbell and switched off the set, not wanting to make a bad impression on my first meet. I pulled open the door and smiled. Sadie Cooper was very pretty. She had pale skin with a few freckles dotted over her straight nose, big blue eyes and thick curly brown hair. I was impressed.

"Hi, you must be Sadie" I said smiling and holding out my hand.

"Yeah, hi" she said with a grin, taking my hand, "you're the famous Maiyah Call then"

"What now?" I asked in shock.

"My sister talks about you all the time. It's kind of freaky. Apparently you stopped her getting bullied in eighth grade" said Sadie, smile still in place. My mind whirred trying to think what she meant.

"Oh" I exclaimed, "you're Heather's sister then"

"Guilty" laughed Sadie, waving her hands above her head. Yes, I liked this Sadie very much. Sibling approval granted.

"Come on in" I said stepping back and allowing her entry to the luxury mansion that I called my home.

Sadie stepped in and looked around nervously. I snorted when a loud crash came from upstairs, but regained my composure at the look on Sadie's face.

"Sorry, Embry's just trying to sort his life out" I said leading Sadie into the living room, "would you like a drink?"

"No, I'm ok thanks" said Sadie with a smile as she sat on the sofa. I took a seat at the other end of the sofa and tucked my legs under me.

"So, you and Embry, huh?" I asked with a mischievous grin. Sadie blushed like a tomato, her pale skin glowing bright red.

"Yeah, he's a really great guy" she said twisting her curly hair around her fingers as a dreamy expression came over her face.

"You met at the school didn't you?" I asked even though I already knew every tiny detail of the imprint.

"Yeah, I was there for the parent teacher night. I didn't want to go but you know what the parents are like" she said with a chuckle, before obviously realising that, no, me and Embry had no idea what it was like to have parents, "I mean, well, anyway, I'm glad I went"

"I don't think he's ever been this happy" I said trying to ease the awkward feeling in the room.

"Really? You really think he likes me?" said Sadie beaming and leaning towards me.

"He likes you. A lot" I said grinning. I didn't quite come out and say that he already was head over heels in love with her, that might just make everything a bit too weird. We both turned as Embry came stumbling through the door, his eyes lighting up as soon as he saw Sadie.

"Hi" she said brightly, leaping up and jogging towards him.

"Hey" he breathed before pressing his lips to hers and pulling her against him.

I sighed as they got caught up with each other. Why couldn't Paul see me like that? Why was I always the little girl still? I know it was selfish to want more, but I couldn't help my feelings. I got up and walked towards the stairs.

"Have fun tonight guys" I said as they left the house, neither of them paying much attention to me.

I went back to staring at equations for a while longer before giving up and moving onto the essay I had to write for English. My phone buzzed and I pulled it out to check it. It was Leah.

_**Hey kid, you want some company? X**_

I thought about it for a moment before deciding that Embry would never know if I had Leah round. He was too wrapped up with Sadie, so I quickly typed a reply.

_**Sure. Just come up when you get here x**_

I flung my phone on my desk and tried to concentrate on my essay for a while before Leah arrived. She bounced into my room and flung herself on my bed, scattering all my notes. I raised my eyebrow as I looked at her over my shoulder.

"What? I've had a great day. I needed to share the joy" she said gathering my papers together and dumping them in a pile on the floor.

"Oh really? What happened?" I asked turning round and facing her.

"I did a perfect cut today. Got full marks for it" said Leah proudly. She had decided working in the garage wasn't for her and was taking a part time course in hairdressing up in Port Angeles. I knew it had always been her dream and ended up beating up Collin for laughing at her.

"Nice one" I said high fiving her.

"How's the work going? Paul any help yesterday?" asked Leah, wiggling her eyebrows. I kicked her arm and smirked.

"He was helpful but very distracting" I admitted, biting my lip.

"Aww, little Maiyah's growing up so fast" she said cackling like a witch, "you should make a move"

"Are you crazy? I tried that once before and now I'm friend zoned. Maybe when I'm like 30, he'll think of me differently" I said with a sad sigh. That was 11 and a half years away. Oh yes, those half years always matter. And I don't think I can wait that long.

"You sure you can wait?" asked Leah as if she read my mind, I cocked my head and stared at her, "never mind. Right, let's go downstairs. I'm hungry"

She clambered off the bed and ran out of the door. I sighed and followed after her. By the time I got downstairs, Leah was practically half inside the fridge. I slapped her backside as I walked past, making her jump and hit her head on the roof of the fridge. I couldn't stop laughing and had to clutch hold of the counter to stop from literally rolling about laughing. Leah chucked an apple at me which I caught and just started eating. Although half of it ended up on the counter as I spat it out while I laughed.

"Why am I even friends with you?" grumbled Leah as she started frying bacon.

"You love me really, don't you Leah" I said wrapping my arms around her waist and grinning up at her. She stared down at me with an incredulous look in her eyes. I stuck my lip out and pretended to be all upset.

"You have issues" she said with a snort.

I let go of Leah as I heard a knock at the door. I didn't know who would be knocking on my door at nearly 6pm. Shrugging, I went to answer it. When I pulled the door open I raised my eyebrows. Amos was stood shivering on the doorstep.

"Oh my god, why didn't you answer my texts?" he said as soon as I opened the door.

"My phone's upstairs sorry. What's the rush?" I asked letting him walk inside.

"You borrowed my Geography textbook last week and I need it to do the homework that's in for tomorrow. Emphasis on tomorrow" he said shaking my shoulders as if it would make me more pro active about homework.

"Oh, sorry, I completely forgot. You want it now?" I asked heading towards the stairs.

"Yeah sure. Ooo, you having bacon?" he asked, following me upstairs.

"Yeah, Leah's making something. You want to stay for something to eat?" I asked as I searched my room for the suddenly elusive textbook.

"Go on then. I won't say no to free food" laughed Amos, patting his stomach.

I finally located the textbook in the most normal of places, down the side of my laundry basket. Obviously I just couldn't wait to read the book so I put it in a safe place to save for later reading. Insert shifty face here. I handed Amos the book and we went back downstairs. He shed his jacket and shoes and followed me into the kitchen. Leah had her head in a continuous stream of smoke from the rapidly crisping bacon.

"Oi, smoke head" I yelled, flinging a window open, "are you trying to burn my house down?"

"A little smoke never hurt anyone. Now quit complaining or you won't get any" said Leah, swatting at my head with the cooking tongs.

Leah turned when she heard Amos laugh. I didn't think anything was up until I realise the room was suddenly very quiet apart from the constant sizzle of the bacon. I looked between my two friends and my eyes widened. Leah's expression was a mixture of shock and excitement and her jaw appeared to have dropped to the floor. No way in hell had that happened. Not Leah. And not Amos.

"Leah?" I asked cautiously.

"With you in a minute" she said vaguely, dropping the tongs into the frying pan and stepping out of the smoke.

"Hi" said Amos who also stepped forward. I collapsed into a chair at the table, my mind whizzing uncontrollably.

"Who are you?" asked Leah, now only a foot away from Amos.

"Amos Grady. I go to school with Maiyah" said Amos, his smile matching Leah's.

"Oh, you're Amos? Well, I'm Leah" said Leah with a nervous laugh. A nervous laugh? Leah doesn't get nervous. She's tough as old boots.

"I'll get the bacon" I grumbled, getting up before the house did actually catch fire.

Neither of the two bothered to acknowledge me as they were now caught up in the magic of another wonderful imprint. Why did it have to be Amos? Why couldn't Leah have imprinted on some random person from Forks?

I made a pile of bacon sandwiches and dumped them on the table before grabbing the ketchup and beginning to eat. Leah and Amos were still standing and chatting nonstop to each other. I finished all the sandwiches without any complaints from the other two who were now exchanging numbers and talking animatedly. It got to nearly eight when I finally kicked them out. They were already arranging to meet up again.

I'm not going to lie and say I was totally happy. I was kind of pissed off. If Amos and Leah had just met earlier, then I wouldn't be in a mess over Paul and Leah wouldn't have had her day of depression and then we wouldn't have both got tattoos that we had to hide. I may have accidentally broken a picture frame as I stormed through the house, but I didn't care at that moment.

I growled when I realised Embry would probably be home soon. I left the house and started running towards the beach, trying to run off some of the pent up frustration. I stopped when I reached the beach. There was something calming about the beach. The way the moon hit the water making it glitter and the sound of the sand crunching. I walked to a secluded little cove and flopped down, staring out across the ocean. I didn't pay attention to the footsteps that were getting nearer. Whoever it was could just piss off and leave me alone.

"Hey"

I looked up quickly when I recognised the deep voice and just stared at Paul as he stood there in all his shirtless glory.

"Hi" I mumbled, clearing my throat and turning my gaze back out to sea.

I felt his heat surround me as he sat down in the sand next to me. We sat in silence for a while. I didn't want to look at him. He was the biggest reminder that I couldn't have him when everyone else was off getting all romantic.

"How did the studying go tonight?" asked Paul, breaking the silence. I kept my focus on the water though.

"Not great. Embry was a bit distracting and then Leah and Amos came round" I said, unable to stop the bitter tone from leaking into my voice.

"What's wrong?" asked Paul, automatically picking up on my unease.

"Leah imprinted on Amos" I said drawing my knees up to my chin and resting my head on them.

"Wow. Who'd have thought" chuckled Paul, "Leah finally imprinted"

I huffed and dug my hands into the sand, letting the grains drift through my fingers. He could laugh it up as much as he liked. Leah deserved an imprint but it being Amos was just fate kicking me down again. I wanted Paul so bad it hurt, but he just didn't want me that way and I was not about to make a fool of myself.

"I guess it's kind of weird for you though. I mean, it's two of your best friends" said Paul, nudging my elbow. I turned my head and rested my cheek on my knees, staring up at Paul.

"Yeah, but I think I'm happy for them. I know Leah deserves someone to love her and so does Amos" I said with a sigh, turning back to the ocean before muttering quietly, "at least they can love each other"

"What was that?" asked Paul leaning closer to me. I flinched and shuffled my feet in the sand.

"Nothing" I mumbled. He didn't want me. I wasn't perfect enough for him.

"Come on, let's go for a swim. It might cheer you up" said Paul leaping to his feet and holding his hand out. I stared up at him.

"Paul, it's nearly 9pm and it's January" I said still staring at him.

"Well observed clever clogs, you'll definitely graduate with information like that" laughed Paul before leaning down and pulling me to my feet, "now let's go"

I screamed as he threw me over his shoulder and started running towards down the beach.

"Let go of me" I yelled slapping his bare back.

"Your wish is my command fair maiden" said Paul stopping abruptly and dropping me into the water. I yelled out a round of expletives at the shock and splashed a wave at him as he bent over laughing.

"You're an idiot" I growled standing up and shaking the water out of my hair.

"Aww, come on, you could at least swim for a little bit now that you're in the water" said Paul pulling a stupid innocent, little kid face.

"Fine, but if I die of hypothermia I am holding you personally responsible" I said before splashing my way further into the water.

"Hypothermia? Oh please, you're a wolf. I don't think hypothermia even registers in our vocabulary" scoffed Paul racing after me and shoving me sideways so I fell into the deep water.

"You are going down" I yelled, swimming towards Paul who was floating on his back.

I pushed myself out of the water and belly flopped on top of him so he went down into the water too. I swam up to the surface as fast as I could to get away from Paul who had hit the floor.

"I didn't think you meant I was literally going down" he moaned as soon as he popped up.

"Oh I'm sorry, have you never met me? I don't make empty threats" I said with a sly smirk as I swam in a circle.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a bit of a head case?" he said flicking water at me.

"Maybe, on one or two occasions" I said grinning and swimming closer to him.

Paul smiled softly as we floated in the water. I turned to my back was to him and stared out across the vast openness.

"I love it when the moon shines on the water" I said with a sigh.

"It really is beautiful" murmured Paul in an incredibly sexy voice.

I flapped my arms in surprise when I felt his warm arms encircle my waist and he pulled me back against his chest. I sighed and relaxed against him. I don't think he realised what he was doing to me. I felt like my whole body was on fire and my heart was pounding noisily. I craved this close contact with Paul. It was like a life source.

"We should head back" said Paul quietly in my ear, his arms releasing me and my whole being silently crying out in protest at the loss of contact.

I nodded mutely and swiftly swam back to the beach, wringing water out of my clothes and hair as I walked back up the sand. I didn't turn as I heard Paul jogging to catch up with me.

"Hey, Maiyah, what's wrong?" he asked, tugging on my arm. I stopped walking and turned to him.

"Nothing, I should be going" I said quickly. A bit too quickly.

"Maiyah, please, talk to me" pleaded Paul, taking my hands in his. It felt like my body was working on its own without my brain as my fingers laced together with Paul's.

"I can't do this" I whispered, staring at the ground.

"Do what? Maiyah please" said Paul and I could hear the stress and worry in his voice.

"I can't be your friend anymore" I whispered even quieter than before. It was true. I couldn't be his friend. I wanted more, I needed more. I needed him to be the one I spent the rest of my life with but as far much more than a friend. Paul dropped my hands and stepped back at my words. The look of hurt on his face sent a jolt of panic to my heart.

"You can't?" he asked hoarsely taking a loud gulp.

"No, I do, but I don't" I said trying to cover my mistake.

"I don't understand" said Paul confusion growing in his eyes, "what do you want from me?"

I swallowed noisily. It was now or never.

"I want you" I whispered going back to staring at the sand.

"You... want me?" asked Paul, tilting my head back up.

"So bad" I whispered, blushing furiously with embarrassment. Realisation dawned in his eyes and a strange expression came over his face.

"Holy shit" he breathed, running a hand through his hair, "oh man"

Oh god. I made a mistake. A giant mistake. I shouldn't have said anything. He didn't want me like that, he only wanted friendship and I ruined everything. I stepped back a couple of paces before turning and sprinting away, tears of embarrassment and shame racing down my cheeks. I heard Paul calling out to me but I just pushed my legs faster. I nearly made it home when Paul crashed into the side of me, knocking me into the forest that lined the road and sending me flying. I landed in a heap, Paul a few metres away breathing heavily.

"Please don't ever run away from me like that again" he panted, pulling himself into a sitting position.

I didn't reply just sat up, burying my face in my knees as more tears rolled down my face. I heard rustling and looked up to find Paul right in front of me, a look of pain on his face. He reached a hand up and wiped away some of the tears. I squeezed my eyes shut as his fingers brushed my cheek.

"Maiyah, look at me please" pleaded Paul quietly, I opened my eyes slowly and looked at him, "what you said at the beach, it surprised me ok? I just wasn't expecting it"

"It's ok, I get it, I shouldn't have said anything" I whispered, feeling incredibly stupid.

"No, it's not ok" said Paul with a sigh and I felt any shred of hope crumbling away, "you have no idea how special you are. You can tell me anything, and for you to have the courage to say what you did, well, you're amazing. And I should be honest with you too"

"What do you mean?" I asked feeling confused.

"What I mean is, I want you too. I want you by my side forever. I want to be able to hold you in my arms when I sleep and always know that you're safe. I know neither of us are perfect, I mean, I can be a complete moron and you well, where do I start. You're reckless and sometimes act without thinking, but you're also loyal and kind and just uniquely you. But together, we are perfect" said Paul getting ever closer to me. I sat stunned for a little while as his words sank in. Then I snorted with laughter.

"You're such a girl" I laughed, pushing him lightly.

"Out of everything I just said and all you come up with is that I'm now a girl" groaned Paul collapsing onto his back, his hands covering his face.

I knelt next to him and studied him. I was so glad he wasn't wearing a shirt. Paul had the perfect body. All that muscle that the light bounced off with every breath he took. I reached forward and lightly traced a path down his torso, smiling slightly as Paul shivered. His hands parted and he looked up at me. I bit my lip, wanting more than anything to just lean forward and kiss him.

"Stop looking at me like that" groaned Paul, swatting his hand at me.

"Like what?" I said innocently. Well, as innocently as I could manage with a cheeky grin plastered on my face. Paul quirked an eyebrow at me and smirked.

"You know exactly what you're doing" he growled playfully, rolling away and standing up, "come on, you should head home"

"Spoil sport" I grumbled and started to get to my feet.

I turned to dust the dirt and leaves of my still damp clothes when I felt Paul's warm fingers on the skin just above the waistband of my shorts. I snapped back around and grabbed his wrist.

"What are you doing?" I asked with narrowed eyes.

"I want to see your tattoo" he said trying to use the puppy dog eyes. I scowled as I remembered the promise I made.

"Look, there's a tattoo on my arm, you can look at that" I said pointing at the tribal ink.

"No, please, why won't you let me see?" he whined, trying to stretch his fingers forward.

"Because it's embarrassing, I don't want to have to go skinny dipping, and you won't let me do what I want, so no tattoo until then" I said hopping away from him and starting back towards home, checking the time on my phone. 11pm.

"Wait, Maiyah, what do you want?" begged Paul who started jogging along next to me like a clingy child. I stopped and faced him with a smirk.

"This" I said before reaching up and pressing my lips to his.

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><p><strong>AN: Ok a very long chapter but lots of things happened that I hope you all enjoyed! I know a lot of you waited a very long time for some of these things to happen :P**

**REVIEW! I know you want to!**

**-Lem x**


	11. Finally Together

**A/N: Hello again people! It's Sunday as I start writing this and it has been a totally brilliant day! I went walking along the pier as it was sunny for the first time in days! Although I did get half a numb face from the cold wind blowing down the Straits.**

Thankyou so much **ILOVEJADE, PhyscoPenguan64, ilovepaul15, tanny321, Andreagirl1234 **and **Girliepie **for reviewing the last chapter!

**tanny321- Thankyou so much! I'm so happy that you enjoyed both stories! And wow, just wow, thankyou!**

**Girliepie- Wow thankyou! Sorry for keeping you up :P glad you are enjoying it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 11: Finally Together<br>**

**Maiyah's POV**

"We should talk about this" murmured Paul in between kisses.

"Uh huh" I breathed, as he lowered his lips back to mine.

Kissing Paul was like nothing else on Earth. If I tried to explain it would come somewhere near to starting a fire inside and light and sparks exploding everywhere. Honestly, the world could have been falling down around us and I wouldn't even have noticed or felt anything other than Paul's hands running over my waist, up my back and tangling in my hair.

"Maiyah, it's late" sighed Paul, pulling away and resting his forehead against mine.

"I know, I should get home" I said, my eyes closed as I wrapped my arms around his chest.

"I'll walk you back" said Paul, straightening up.

I smiled at him and we began to walk in silence. I didn't really know what to say. Hell, I had practically just pounced on him and now I was stuck for words. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence though, which was good. It was only a short walk back to mine but I was getting nervous. I mean, what do I do? Invite him in for a cup of tea? Tell him to get lost? I don't know.

"We really need to talk" said Paul once we reached the front steps.

"Now?" I asked hopefully.

"No, you need to sleep. Come round to mine after school, ok?" said Paul giving me a hug.

"Ok" I said, trying to cover up a yawn. Paul chuckled and kissed my forehead.

"See you tomorrow" he said before jogging off into the darkness.

I stared after him for a while before running up to my room and collapsing on my bed. A massive smile crept onto my face when I thought about the events of the night. I thought I had made a complete fool of myself when I told him how I sort of felt, but then when I finally got the guts to kiss him, he freaking well kissed me back. It was a million times better than I had ever imagined it. I hoped for the best outcome tomorrow and I couldn't wait until school finished.

When I woke up, I felt unbelievably tired and couldn't remember why I felt so happy. Then it all came flooding back and I practically danced round my room as I got some clothes together. There was no sound from Embry's room but I could hear an extra heartbeat so knew that Sadie had stayed over. I may have accidentally sung really loudly while I was in the shower but I didn't care if I woke up anyone because I was on top of the world.

"What are you so chipper about today?" asked Toby as I leapt from my perch on the bonnet of my truck. Oh yes, I was even early to school.

"Nothing" I said with a giant grin. I don't think Toby would understand.

"Well anyway, have you heard from Amos? I couldn't get hold of him last night" he asked as we walked towards the school buildings.

"Oh really" I said with a smirk. I bet he went back to Leah's.

"Yeah, it's dead weird. I tried to call you a couple of times actually and you weren't picking up either. What is with you people? Were you together?" asked Toby nudging me and giving me a suggestive wink.

"No way. I had much better things to be doing" I scoffed, pushing Toby the other way.

I finally managed to get Toby to shut up as we reached Rachelle and Amos. Rachelle looked slightly bored and Amos was glued to his phone, a goofy smile plastered all over his face. I rolled my eyes and chuckled.

"Morning dopey" I said ruffling his hair.

"He's been texting all morning" groaned Rachelle, wrapping an arm around Toby.

"Don't worry fair maiden, I will save you" announced Toby, sticking his chest out, "come on let's go. These two are acting weird"

I laughed as Rachelle and Toby walked off, leaving me and Amos grinning like maniacs. I studied him while he was preoccupied and noticed how much more alive he seemed and how excited he got whenever he received a text. I realised now that I shouldn't have been jealous of Amos and Leah when I had something perfect for myself. I needed to stop being so selfish and learn some patience.

"Come on dopey, we've got class. I'm sure Leah won't mind if you stop texting her for an hour" I said pulling Amos towards Mr Tucker's room. He huffed but the phone went away.

"Sorry for just leaving you last night. I kind of got distracted" mumbled Amos, blushing a lovely bright red.

"You don't say" I replied sarcastically, "nah, it's all good. I'm happy for you guys. And anyway I got some quality Paul time"

"No way. What happened? Tell me" pleaded Amos as we entered the classroom.

"Come on you two, sit down quickly" said Mr Tucker, ushering us towards our desks, "right class, pop quiz time"

I groaned and smacked my head against the desk. Did anyone at this school even want me to graduate? I looked sideways at Amos who mouthed for me to tell him everything later. I grinned and gave him the thumbs up.

"Maiyah, no communicating with other students" said Tucker sternly.

I turned and glared at him. Why is it always me that gets caught? So unfair. Anyway, I struggled through the test, one reason because I didn't really know the work, and the other that I couldn't stop thinking about Paul. I could see Amos out of the corner of my eye and knew he was having the same trouble as he kept staring out the window and grinning.

At first break, Amos and I managed to sneak off without Rachelle or Toby. We palmed them off with some excuse about needing to sort out some relationship stuff. They smiled sympathetically and left us alone, probably thinking we meant the relationship between us and not our separate relationships. We sat behind the gym surrounded by snacks. Well, my snacks, but I didn't want to look like a greedy pig.

"Right, spill" I said ripping open a packet of crisps.

"You first" said Amos, even though I could see him practically bursting with his own news.

"Amos, you're going first before you wet yourself" I said with a raised eyebrow.

"Ok, fine" said Amos before he started gushing, "Leah's amazing. We talked for ages and I ended up going back to hers, not to do anything dodgy or anything, we just chatted. She makes the best hot chocolate ever. We even had marshmallows. And she's kind of got that sarcastic humour but it's just brilliant. Why didn't you make me meet her before?"

"Hey, it's not my fault" I said flicking crisp crumbs at him.

"Whatever, at least I've met her now" said Amos sighing happily and leaning back as he ate an apple, "your turn. What happened with Paul?"

"My lips may have accidentally landed on his" I said with a grin as I felt my entire face light up.

"You kissed him? Wow. Nice. What did he say?" said Amos slapping my shoulder.

"He says we have to talk about it, so I'm going round to his after school" I said with a sigh.

"Ooo, sounds ominous" said Amos wiggling his fingers. I snorted and slapped his hands away.

"Shut up, it'll be fine" I laughed, hoping it really would be because I missed him already.

"I'm sure it will be. I mean, I'm finding it hard not to attack Leah and I've only known her for half a day. I bet it's hard with Paul being there since you were little" said Amos getting a dreamy look as he spoke about Leah.

I rolled my eyes and carried on eating. The rest of the day passed slower and slower. Luckily I had Food Tech last period so I could just put all my energy into making whatever the teacher came up with. The teacher was away so our substitute told us we could do basic stuff. I immediately grabbed my favourite cookie recipe and raced to get the ingredients. I made 16 white chocolate chip cookies and put them in a paper bag. I could take them to Paul's.

Finally the day ended and I was able to race out to the parking lot. I flung all my work and the cookies into the passenger and leapt into the drivers spot. I was excited and nervous at the same time which was making my hands shake and I fumbled with the key before I managed to start the engine. Amos wished me luck as he walked past and I gave him a shaky wave as I pulled out.

I walked slowly to Paul's front door, even though I just wanted to run in and kiss him all over again. I didn't know how he would react. The cookies were clutched in my hand as I tapped on the door, drool practically hanging out of my mouth, but I refused to eat one. The door flung open and I was greeted by a smiling Paul.

"You don't have to knock, you know that" he said pulling me into a bone crushing hug.

"I was being polite" I said with a huff as I hit his back with the bag of cookies. I heard him take a sniff and let go of me.

"What's in the bag?" he asked, almost drooling as well.

"Cookies" I said brightly, holding up the bag. Paul snatched it and pulled it open.

"Can I eat one?" he asked, bouncing on the spot excitedly. I nodded and he started munching on the biscuit, dragging me inside as he told me how brilliant they were. I immediately leapt on the bag and grabbed two cookies, one for each hand.

"Man, they are good. No wonder Food Tech is my best subject" I said as I hoovered up the crumbs I had dropped.

"Right, Maiyah, we have to talk serious business now" said Paul gripping my shoulders and looking me dead in the eye, a mock serious expression on his face. I tried so hard not to burst out laughing.

"Yes we do" I said grinding my teeth together to stop the smile from growing. Suddenly Paul snorted and bent over laughing.

"You so can't do serious" he said through his laughter.

"Oh because you're such an expert" I said rolling my eyes and flopping down on the sofa.

Paul sat next to me, twiddling his thumbs in an almost nervous way. I frowned and felt my heart sink a little. He was going to tell me we still couldn't be together, even after yesterday.

"So, last night was pretty crazy, huh?" he said with a little chuckle. I swallowed thickly.

"Sorry" I said quietly, my hands clenched into fists in my lap.

"What are you apologising for? I think it made the number one spot on my list of the best things ever" said Paul placing his hand over my fist. I looked up and gawked.

"You mean that?" I asked in disbelief, my heart pounding rapidly, "then what did you want to talk about?"

"Of course I mean it" laughed Paul, "I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page, I mean, this is kind of new in our imprint relationship timeline. I don't want to mess anything up"

"Oh my god. We can actually be together now?" I said twisting round so I could see Paul properly. He started smiling, a crazy great big smile and leant towards me.

"I spoke to Sam about it. He said our feelings would have started changing at the same time" said Paul leaning ever closer, "I've loved you for so long Maiyah, I just didn't know you felt the same"

I felt my heart stop as his lips brushed against mine. But then I pushed him away, feeling the shock that was on his face, mirrored on my face but for completely different reasons.

"What did you just say?" I gasped as my brain processed his words.

Paul looked confused for a second before his eyes grew wide and his mouth dropped open, a blush growing across his cheeks. He tried to look away but I reached up and placed my hands either side of his face, forcing him to keep looking at me.

"It was an accident?" he offered, making my heart sink a little.

"Really?" I asked crestfallen, dropping my hands and looking away.

"No, it wasn't an accident. I just didn't mean to say it then. I wanted to say it in a more romantic setting than my smelly old living room" said Paul, his fingers tracing my cheek. I looked back at him and saw only honesty. I gave an evil smile.

"You could always say it again... in the bedroom" I said wiggling my eyebrows and grinning at the shocked look on Paul's face.

"Don't tempt me" he groaned, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Can I tell you something?" I asked as we subconsciously leaned towards each other again.

"Sure" said Paul and I could hear the hitch in his breathing.

I leant forward, holding onto his shoulders and turning to whisper in his ear.

"I love you too"

The next two seconds passed in a blur as Paul pulled me back slightly and crashed his mouth on top of mine. The breath was literally knocked out of me as the electricity shot through me and I felt myself melting in Paul's arms. He really was an amazing kisser. Mind you, I had no one to compare him to. _Brain, stop thinking and just kiss him,_ I thought to myself, letting all sensible thoughts fly out of my head as I lost myself in the kiss.

After a few minutes, yes minutes, Paul suddenly pulled away looking horrified. I began to panic. Maybe he was rethinking.

"I forgot to put dinner in" he said sounding distraught. I snorted as the reason for his distress became clear.

"It's just your dinner. Put it in now, you won't be eating much later than normal" I said with a shrug, straightening out my top and covering the tattoo that was nearly exposed.

"But I cooked dinner for two. I was going to woo you" he whined, slumping back into the seat.

"I'm sorry, you were going to 'woo' me? What, did you forget to tell me you grew up with Edward Cullen in the early 1900's?" I asked, putting on a confused look. Paul growled.

"I was just trying to be nice. I thought if the talk didn't go well, I might be able to change your mind over dinner" he said punching a cushion.

"You honestly thought it wouldn't go well?" I asked, leaning against his side and draping my arm across his stomach, feeling completely comfortable with it already.

"Hey, you're my imprint. I thought of every situation under the sun. Including you throwing me off the cliff because you hated my guts for ruining your life" said Paul while I looked up at him and raised my eyebrow, "ok, maybe that one was a bit extreme, but you know what I mean"

"I do" I said, tracing his abs with my fingers, "and you never ruined my life. March 1st and April 3rd are my favourite dates anyway"

"Your birthday and... what's the other one?" asked Paul resting his cheek on top of my head which made me smile.

"March 1st is the date you imprinted and April 3rd, yes it's my birthday, and it's also the day I imprinted on you. Therefore, they are the best days ever" I said matter of factly. Paul burst out laughing and hugged me closer to him.

"They are pretty good dates" he murmured and I felt his warm lips on my forehead, "how about we make dinner?"

"Can we make something else first?" I asked sitting up and grinning at him and his confused expression, "make... _out_?"

"Hell yes" he growled before pushing me back so I was lying on the sofa and attacking my lips.

I think I officially died and went to imprint heaven with all that kissing. I didn't care that I looked all dishevelled and flustered, I didn't care that Embry rang ten times demanding to know where I was, all I cared about was never, ever leaving the side of Paul Lahote.

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><p><strong>AN: There we go people! I hope that was ok! I always try to write a little bit better each time but I was so tired writing this, I don't know if it makes sense! **

**Anyway! Please, please review!**

**-Lem x**


	12. A New Threat

**A/N: Oh my goodness people! I am indeed very sorry for not updating on Friday! I completely forgot that I was going home for the weekend and I didn't take my laptop back, hence the lack of update. Sorry! Hope you weren't too disappointed!**

Thankyou very much to **ILOVEJADE, PhyscoPenguan64, FightingTheWolf **and **Andreagirl1234 **for reviewing the last chapter!

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 12: A New Threat<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

"Where have you been?" demanded Embry as soon as I got home that night.

"Paul's" I said trying to control the smile on my face. Didn't want to make it too obvious about what we'd been doing.

"For six hours? What were you even doing?" he said following me up the stairs.

"Studying" I said waving my bag in his face. Embry looked a bit stunned.

"You were studying?" he asked in surprise.

"Oh yes, biology" I said with a smirk, "I think anatomy is my new favourite topic"

I left Embry spluttering on the landing as I went into my room and slammed the door. I flopped down on my bed and pulled out my phone. There was one message from Paul and I grinned as his face filled the screen. I opened up the text and snorted with laughter.

_**Roses are red, violets are blue, I had a lot of fun tonight, I hope you did too xxx**_

Wow. Paul was such the romantic poet. I chuckled again as I typed my reply.

_**Did you flunk English at school? But yes, I had a great time. Now I'm snoozing, night xxx**_

I placed the phone on my desk and busied myself getting ready for bed. I was actually really tired but I knew I would sleep well tonight, knowing that I finally would get the happy ending. As I climbed into bed my phone buzzed and I pounced on it.

_**Night, sleep well xxx**_

I grinned and put the phone back before rolling over and drifting into a sleep filled with dreams full of wolves and warmth.

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><p>The next day was very busy. Embry forced me to get up and study after he discovered I had a maths test in the coming week. Sometimes my brother could be a right pain in the backside. I even tried to sweet talk him into letting Paul come over to help me study but Embry was having none of it. I grumbled all the way through the equations and angles and finally got a break after lunch when I had patrol from 1 until 5. It was a public holiday so I had a long weekend.<p>

_Ahoy matey, _cried Seth in my head.

_Oh you want to go for a swim? I'll quite happily drop you off the cliff if you'd like, _I said back mentally grinning.

_You cut me deep, Maiyah, _I barked a laugh as Seth went all dramatic on me.

_Whatever wolf boy, _I snorted, pushing my legs faster as I ran the perimeter of our land.

_Hey, I'm a man, _he protested which had a tear rolling down my face as I laughed.

Patrol with Seth was always fun. We were the two fastest in the pack due to our small stature and it was immense fun trying to chase each other through the trees. Patrol today was no different. I could hear his pounding steps getting nearer, so I darted into the denser part of the forest. As I ran, thoughts of Paul and the night before kept popping into my head. I tried to control them as much as possible but the level of emotion was too high.

_Urgh, you're not going to think about Paul the whole time, are you? It's bad enough having Leah pining over Amos. I can't handle you as well. I mean, you're still a teeny tiny little girl to me, _said Seth groaning. I growled and span around, spraying mud and leaves everywhere.

_I am not pining. And I'm not a little girl, _I snarled, running at Seth and pouncing on him.

We fought for a few minutes, clawing and biting at each other. I often got into scuffles with members of the pack, but it was never vicious. The way I was going at Seth was just mean. I shuddered and backed away from the fight. Seth stayed on the other side of the small clearing, breathing hard, a trickle of blood running from above his eye where my claw had caught him. I didn't know what to say. I felt so guilty, Seth didn't deserve that.

_You don't have to say anything Maiyah, I shouldn't have brought Paul up, _said Seth, slowly making his way towards me.

_I'm so sorry, it's just a bit of a touchy subject right now, _I said remorsefully as Seth butted his nose against my head.

_Ok, let's pretend this never happened and keep on patrolling, _said Seth, setting off at a jog.

That's what I liked about Seth. He didn't hold a grudge or see the bad in anyone. I mentally wiped the incident from my mind and set off after Seth. We parted ways after a short while, to cover more ground. As I ran closer to the southern area of our perimeter, I caught a strange scent.

_Seth, I've got something, _I called out, trying to find the source of the weird smell.

I sniffed around and followed the scent along the perimeter. I looked up as I heard Seth approach. He was gagging and choking on something.

_What's wrong? _I asked in a sudden panic, the hairs on my back, standing up.

_Vampires. We have to tell Jake, _gasped Seth, setting off at a run.

As we ran I couldn't stop thinking about that smell. We hadn't come across any vampires for years. The Cullen's had left for Alaska years ago as well and I could barely remember what they smelt like.

_Hey Seth, why does it smell really bad to you but not to me? _I asked curiously.

_I don't know. Maybe it's because you're half vampire if doesn't smell so bad, _said Seth as we approached Jake's.

I sighed as we phased back. Sometimes I wished I was just normal like everyone else. Well, as normal as could be expected around here. Seth and I ran to the door and started pounding on it. Jake opened up looking bleary eyed. He'd been on patrol most of the night and looked shattered.

"What's up?" he asked with a yawn.

"Vampires" blurted out Seth, which immediately got Jake's attention, "to the south. The scent was a couple of days old I think"

"Shit, ok, we'll get people out and looking for the leeches" said Jake, leaping into action, "Maiyah, go ahead and alert the others. I want everyone out searching then I'm calling a meeting for tonight"

I ran off into the forest and phased again, racing through the trees and howling out a summons for all the shifters. I felt as each of them phased in, panic and confusion running through their thoughts. I tried not to let anything slip and waited until Jake phased. The rest of the pack gathered around me, demanding to know what was going on, but Paul growled threateningly at all of them and they soon backed off. I felt a swell of happiness but it was soon squashed when Jake and Seth finally phased in.

_Everyone calm down, _ordered Jake and everyone instantly stilled, _Seth and Maiyah have picked up a fresh vampire scent, maybe one or two days old. I'm boosting up patrols. I want this area safe and those bloodsuckers killed. Can everyone just run a few perimeter runs for now? And I'm calling a meeting tonight. 6pm round mine._

Everyone looked at each other nervously. They all knew what to expect after the fight against the newborn army several years back, but I didn't. Sam had forbidden me from fighting as I was only 10 at the time. I was about to run off when I heard Jake call me back along with Paul.

_Paul, I need you to stick with Maiyah. She can't smell the vampires very well, _said Jake, his voice full of worry.

I felt Paul tense next to me so I pressed myself against his side to calm him down a little bit.

_Of course, _said Paul, standing a little taller, in a more protective way.

Jake turned and headed in the opposite direction. Paul and I stood still for a few moments, just staring at each other, the chaos of everyone's thoughts hitting us from every direction. As we set off, I noticed Paul running a little closer to me than he normally would, but I didn't question it. He was worried, we all were.

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><p>That night, we all gathered at Jake's, the atmosphere tense. I sat as close to Paul as I could without making it obvious we were more than just friends. Now wasn't the time to be discussing relationships. Jake eventually came into the house, his eyes narrowed and his brow furrowed. We were surprised and concerned when Sam and Jared followed him in.<p>

"Ok guys, here's how it is. We've got a new scent and from the strength of it, I would say there are maybe three or four vampires out there. They've also been through here more than once so that suggests they may try and re-enter our land again. I'll be upping the number of patrols as I said earlier, and I need everyone to be prepared to fight" said Jake gravely, rubbing a hand over his face.

"How come we haven't noticed them before?" asked Quil who looked nervous as hell.

"It's possible that they have been able to mask their scents" said Jake before looking at everyone in turn, "and I know everyone's been taking patrol less seriously than they should"

I looked down, feeling the guilt of the pack weighing down on me. It was true. Since there had been no vampires in the area for a while, everyone had been slacking off a bit. I subconsciously tried to lean in closer to Paul. He made me feel a tiny bit better about this whole situation.

"Sam and Jared are here as they have agreed to phase if we need help. After all, we aren't as big a pack as we used to be" said Jake who got up and signalled the end of the formal meeting.

The tension in the room decreased slightly as Jake and Leah left the room to discuss and sort out the new patrol timetable. Everyone else slowly dispersed, Embry and Colin setting off to start a new patrol. Sam and Jared chatted briefly with Quil before the three of them left. I walked out with Paul and Seth and we started the walk home. We dropped Seth off first and continued down the road. We reached my house and Paul was about to leave. I felt a sudden panic, the unwelcome threat of vampires stirring something up inside me.

"Can you stay tonight?" I asked quietly, staring at the ground in embarrassment, "please"

"I shouldn't" said Paul with a sigh, cupping my cheek with his warm hand and pulling my face up.

"Please, just this once" I pleaded, gripping his wrist and keeping his hand in place.

"Embry will go mad. Why do you want me to stay?" he asked pulling me into a hug. I stayed silent for a little while. I didn't want to have to admit it, but this was Paul, I could tell him anything.

"Because I'm scared" I muttered into his shoulder, feeling his arms tighten around me.

"I'll stay" whispered Paul, kissing my hair.

I let out a breath that I hadn't realised I'd been holding and let go of Paul. We made our way inside and I found myself jumping at shadows. I was so glad Paul decided to stay. I took a quick shower and joined Paul in my room. He was looking at old pictures of us together and chuckling.

"What's so funny?" I asked dropping my muddy clothes into the laundry basket.

"You had the cutest little angry face ever" laughed Paul holding out a picture to me.

I took it and looked over it. Paul was sat on the ground, quite clearly cracking up at something while I stood a little way away from him, arms folded, pout in place and eyebrows knitted together so it looked like I had a monobrow. I was probably only nine when it was taken judging from my size.

"Well you were always the meanie" I defended, flinging the photo at him. He caught it and laughed again.

"Yeah but you always said it was because Emily hit me over the head one too many times" he said grinning innocently.

"You obviously deserved it" I said swatting my hand at him.

"Ouch" said Paul clutching his heart, while I rolled my eyes and climbed into bed, "I'll take the floor"

"No" I protested, patting the space next to me on the bed. Paul took a few deep breaths before nodding and climbing in next to me, lying on his side facing me. I smiled and snuggled against his chest like I used to when I was little. We lay in silence for a while, Paul drawing patterns on my arm with his fingers.

"What made you so scared?" asked Paul softly. I froze for a second, curling even tighter against him.

"The unknown" I said quietly, squeezing my eyes shut, my hands fisting his t shirt.

"Sounds a bit scary" said Paul attempting to joke.

"It's not funny. I don't know what to do if I see a vampire. I've never had to fight one before. I can't even smell them properly. What if I let everyone down because I can't find the vampires?" I stopped and took a deep breath, "and then I get scared because you might get hurt"

"Maiyah, you can never let anyone down. I'll make sure I'm always with you when you go on patrols and if I can't be there, someone else will run with you" said Paul stroking his thumb across my cheek, "don't worry about me. I'm more concerned about anything hurting you. I think I would actually die if you got hurt"

"Don't say that, please, don't say you'll die. Ever. I don't want you to die" I whispered pathetically. I knew my fear was unfounded, but I needed Paul to always be alive.

"Maiyah, look at me" said Paul cupping my cheek again, I slowly looked up at him, "you and me are a team, the perfect team. I will never, ever leave you, you mean too much to me"

"Promise?" I asked, like I did when I was little. I felt like such a child this evening.

"Promise" said Paul, kissing my forehead and tucking me back against him, "now go to sleep"

"Ok" I mumbled, my cheek resting against his chest, the sound of his steady heartbeat lulling me into a dreamless sleep.

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><p><strong>AN: Once again I can only apologise for no Friday update last week! I completely forgot I was going home. Also, if this isn't very good I apologise as well! I wrote it in a few hours. I literally got off the train and into my house and started typing!**

**Please review! I'll be your best friend! HA haven't said that in years! But anyway, PLEASE review!**

**-Lem x**


	13. Finding Out

**A/N: Hiya! I'm really loving writing this story at the moment! There are so many ideas running round my head it's crazy! And yet I can't seem to get anything written for my other two stories. Oh well.**

Thankyou so much to **FightingTheWolf, PhyscoPenguan64, Andreagirl1234 **and **Girliepie **for reviewing the last chapter! Sorry for leaving you guys before. Just so you know, I will never leave a story unfinished.

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 13: Finding Out<br>**

**Maiyah's POV**

The weekend was mental. Everyone was running double patrols every few hours and by the end of Saturday, I was completely drained. There was no time to talk to anyone or socialise outside of the patrols either. I was slightly put out that I hadn't been able to spend the day with Paul. In fact, I didn't see him except for waking up next to him. He had a completely different patrol schedule to me. I had patrolled with Seth and Embry, the former running with me so he could pick up any scents.

That night I slept like a log. Nothing was going to wake me up, not even when Embry made waffles and put a plate of them next to my head. I finally woke up just after mid day. I felt a tiny bit refreshed but my whole body was aching. I groaned when I remembered that I had patrol in a few hours.

"Hey sis" said Embry from his place on the sofa.

"Hey" I yawned, flopping down next to him. I slid sideways and collapsed across his lap, the need to sleep, returning.

"Paul rang" said Embry, my ears immediately pricking up. I rolled onto my back and stared up at him.

"And? You can't just leave it at that" I said almost desperately. Embry chuckled and prodded my face.

"He's off patrol and wondered if you wanted to go round there" said Embry bouncing his knee to get me off him. Naturally, I bounced right up and ran to get some shoes on.

"See you later" I yelled as I raced out of the house.

Even if I only got a couple of hours with Paul then I would be happy. Jake was forcing me to keep up with school even with this whole vampire situation, so it meant I wouldn't really get to see Paul during the week either. I didn't bother with my truck, it was only a ten minute run down the road to Paul's. As I ran, I caught a streak of red-brown racing through the trees and gave a little wave as Collin went by.

When I reached Paul's house, I raised my hand to push open the door but it was pulled open for me and I practically fell into Paul's chest. Nice.

"You look shattered" he said tracing the bags under my eyes with his finger.

"Wow, thanks, it's great to see you too" I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes and pushing away from him. Paul pouted and pulled me back against him.

"Sorry" he said, tucking my into his side and shutting the door, "I think you're beautiful"

"Pfft, yeah right" I snorted, burying my face in his chest as we walked through to the living room.

"What, you think I'm lying?" asked Paul sounding completely horrified. I pulled back and looked up at him.

"Well, duh, I mean, I'm hardly an oil painting" I said quirking an eyebrow and shaking my head. Paul's jaw dropped and he stood still, facing me and gripping my shoulders.

"Maiyah Call, you are the most beautiful person on the entire planet" he said staring seriously into my eyes before smirking, "and you're all mine"

"Oh really?" I said smirking and folding my arms, "and what makes you think that I want to be with you?"

"Oh you know, a little bird told me you had a thing for outrageously good looking blokes" he said grinning and striking a pose. I burst out laughing and reached my arms up around his neck, grinning as his arms wrapped around my waist.

"I see. So, do you happen to know of any outrageously good looking blokes that I could link up with? I haven't found any so far" I asked batting my eyelashes as innocently as I could. Paul growled and leaned down, capturing my lips in a possessive kiss. My knees went weak and my heart sped up as though it was trying to break out through my ribs.

"You can always go find Seth or Collin, see if they can make your heart race like that" whispered Paul in my ear, making my shiver.

"I think I'll stick with you" I said breathlessly, trying to calm down.

"Good choice" he said kissing along my cheek until he reached my lips again. I sighed and held onto him a little tighter, the thought of vampires leaving my head entirely. I had missed Paul a lot over the last day and only now was I realising just how much.

It felt so natural to move into the romantic stage of the imprint, almost as though we had been a couple for years. Although that would be weird as I only just grew up. Hmm, I should think things through before splurging them out.

We moved onto playing Mario Karts and laughed over the last time we had played it and ended up falling out. It seemed like so much had happened since then that it could almost have happened years ago and we wouldn't have known any different. When Paul finally accepted defeat, we decided to make some food. Unfortunately, Paul being Paul, he hadn't stocked the cupboards up for a few days and there wasn't anything that could be made into food, not even sandwiches. Paul suggested corned beef, with a side helping of jelly and a packet of crisps. Eventually we just decided to go over to Sam and Emily's to see if there was any spare food going.

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><p><strong>Sam's POV<strong>

I couldn't deny that I was worried. Everyone was. I didn't like the thought of a group of vampires entering our land as they pleased. There hadn't been any vampire activity in the area for a while and I knew we had become somewhat complacent.

"Sam honey, can you help Jenny with her homework?" called Emily from downstairs.

"Sure" I called back, quickly finishing an email I was typing to a client at the garage and heading down to the front room. Jenny was sat drawing on the back page of her notebook.

"Daddy, I'm stuck" she grumbled, holding out a worksheet to me. I settled down next to her on the sofa and took the worksheet.

"Words with silent letters" I read off the top, "don't worry Jenny, you'll soon get the hang of it"

"But what's the point of having a silent letter? Can't you just not put the letter when you write the word?" she asked peering up at me.

"Some words just wouldn't be the same without that special letter. Can you think of a few words with silent letters?" I asked handing the sheet back to Jenny.

"Yes. A couple" said Jenny, nodding her head seriously, "how about 'lamb'? That's got one, right?"

"Very good" I praised, a wide smile stretching across my face.

Pride seeped through me as Jenny worked her way through the worksheet. Jenny was a hard worker, much like Emily, and was never happy with an unfinished piece of work. My head snapped up as I heard a scream from outside.

"Matthew" I cried, leaping up, "Jenny, stay here"

I charged outside to find Matthew sitting on the back step crying his eyes out. A growl ripped through me as I saw the source of his fear. Maiyah and Paul were just beyond the tree line, fighting in wolf form. I heard Emily rush out behind me.

"Emily, take Matthew inside" I growled before running over to the fighting idiots. I managed to grab them both by the scruff of their necks and yank them apart.

"Stop it this instant. Phase back, now" I ordered. I may not be alpha anymore, but I still had some authority. I dropped the two offending wolves on the ground and folded my arms as they phased back and pulled their clothes on.

"Sam-" started Paul, but I raised a hand to cut him off.

"What the hell were you two thinking?" I hissed, glaring at both of them. They stared at the ground, guilt radiating off them.

"We weren't doing anything" blurted out Maiyah, looking up briefly.

"You weren't doing anything? You were fighting, outside my house, in front of my five year old son. I don't know what you two are playing at, especially with these vampires on the loose. The pack should be united, not fighting with each other" I practically yelled at them, trying to get across the gravity of the situation, "you can save your explanations for Jacob, for now, I want you to go and apologise to Matthew"

Neither of them made a move so I grabbed them by their ears and dragged them towards the house, ignoring their sounds of protest. I hadn't felt this enraged for ages, but this was a very serious situation. I dragged both of them into the kitchen when Emily was working on cheering up Matthew who was still sniffing, his bottom lip trembling.

"Apologise" I hissed, letting go of their ears, "and mean it"

I stepped away and picked up the phone, punching in Jake's number as Maiyah and Paul stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. I explained what had happened and Jake said he was coming right over.

"We're really sorry Matthew" said Paul, and to his credit, he did actually sound remorseful.

"Yeah, we didn't mean to scare you. We were just being silly. I'm sorry we upset you" said Maiyah, edging a little closer to Paul. I narrowed my eyes but didn't think anything of it.

"But you were hurting each other" said Matthew quietly, his eyes wide and watery. Emily rubbed his back and kissed his head, I smiled slightly at my family.

"No, gosh no" exclaimed Maiyah in shock, "we would never hurt each other"

"Maiyah's right, we wouldn't do that. It's just like when you and Jenny fight, you don't mean to hurt each other" said Paul. My eyes flicked down as a small movement caught my attention. Paul had linked one of his fingers with one of Maiyah's. I cocked my head to the side in confusion. Something else was going on here.

"Ok" said Matthew, wiping his sleeve across his nose.

"Ok? We're all good now?" asked Maiyah stepping forward slightly.

"Yes" said Matthew, sliding off the seat and rushing towards the two hot heads.

"Good, because I don't like falling out with my favourite little man" said Maiyah, hoisting Matthew into the air. Matthew giggled as Maiyah blew a raspberry on his cheek. I couldn't help but chuckle at this. Maiyah really was a natural with the children, even if she was a bit temperamental the rest of the time.

I breathed an audible sigh of relief when Jake burst into the house, a determined and frustrated look on his face.

"Right, you two, outside now" he ordered. Maiyah and Paul scampered outside, looks of fear crossing both of their faces as they shared a look. I followed out after them, ready to hear whatever explanation was about to be given.

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><p><strong>Paul's POV<strong>

I felt a rush of fear as Jake entered the kitchen. His expression was thunderous. I felt Maiyah cower against me slightly as she put Matthew down and I immediately felt the urge to protect her from everything. We both followed Jake outside and I took deep breaths as I heard Sam follow us out. Two alphas against two idiots. Great. Jake stopped in the middle of the yard and turned to face us, a look of unnatural calm on his face.

"Explain right now why you were both fighting. I will not tolerate fighting in the pack at this point in time when we have more serious threats to think about" said Jake, hints of his alpha tone coming through. I glanced at Maiyah who looked mortified.

"We weren't fighting" I said turning back to Jake who clenched his fists and glared at me, "I mean, we were, but not how you think. We were just messing about, a play fight if you like"

"Yeah, we weren't fighting properly" said Maiyah quietly.

"You were play fighting? Why?" demanded Jake. I looked at Maiyah who glanced up at me and nodded slightly. I took a deep breath before continuing.

"We're in a relationship" I said nervously, watching as Jake's eyebrows shot up and he seemed to falter slightly, "we were just messing about I swear"

"You're in a relationship? Since when? Why haven't you told anyone?" asked Sam, barrelling questions at us while Jake stood there open mouthed.

"Um, Thursday" mumbled Maiyah really quietly. I looked back at her and found her staring at the ground. I longed to reach out and comfort her but I felt restrained in this situation.

"There hasn't really been time to mention it. I mean everyone's a bit preoccupied with this whole vampire thing and then with Leah imprinting, that just seemed more important so we sort of forgot to mention it" I rambled on, scratching the back of my neck.

"Guys, it's kind of a big deal that you've got together romantically" said Sam with a sigh.

"After everything, you guys finally get together and don't tell me?" said Jake, rubbing a hand across his face.

"Sorry Jake" mumbled Maiyah who suddenly had gone very red. I bit my lip to stop from smiling at her adorableness.

"Urgh, you two are such blockheads sometimes" Jake groaned, smacking us both over the back of the head. I growled when he hit Maiyah but he just smirked and did it anyway.

"So how's everything going? You're not going to fast are you?" asked Sam, leading us all back inside.

"It's great. I don't think we're going too fast, well, I don't feel we are" said Maiyah glancing anxiously up at me. I grabbed her hand and squeezed it lightly.

"It's perfect" I said smiling softly at her.

"I think we lost them" chuckled Sam to Jake. I growled lightly and wrapped my arm round Maiyah's shoulders, pulling her close to me.

"Em, guess what" yelled Jake, bounding towards Emily. I rolled my eyes. No one would think Jake was alpha, the way he behaved.

"What?" said Emily, stirring something in a pot that smelt suspiciously like homemade vegetable soup.

"We have two little lovebirds in our midst" said Jake grinning as he sat down at the table. Emily looked blank for a moment, glancing at Sam before her gaze settled on me and Maiyah.

"No way" she gasped, beaming and racing across to us before getting us in a stranglehold of a hug, "why didn't you tell me? Is that why you were coming over?"

"Actually, we just came over for food" said Maiyah guiltily and I snorted with laughter at her complete honesty. The others chuckled as well and Emily poured us some soup.

The next hour flew by and it was nice just to spend time not thinking about the threat that lay out in the forest. Emily refused to give us any more soup after our fourth bowl but we tried not to complain too much. Matthew and Jenny joined us after a while. Jenny was showing off some English homework that she'd completed and Matthew was bugging Maiyah like there was no tomorrow.

"Maiyah, can I have the rest of your bread roll?" he said tugging on her t shirt.

"Ooo I don't know. Why don't you ask mummy if you're allowed a snack" suggested Maiyah, ruffling his hair. Matthew turned to Emily with wide, expectant eyes.

"Just a little bit" said Emily with a stern look.

Matthew punched the air and tugged on Maiyah's arm with cries of 'up'. As I watched her pull the little boy up onto her lap, I got a strange feeling inside. I felt like I'd spaced out and was seeing a little snippet of the future, a future where Maiyah was holding our child. I felt my heart swell as I imagined our perfect children.

"Paul, dude, you're spacing out" said Jake slapping my shoulder and pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Sorry, just tired I guess" I said with a light laugh.

"Uncle Paul's a bit weird sometimes" whispered Matthew in Maiyah's ear. I had to hold back the laughter that threatened to erupt.

"That he is, Matty, that he is" said Maiyah with a giant grin. I mock glared at her but she just smirked.

Matthew swivelled in Maiyah's arms and stood on her lap. I knew it didn't hurt her but I still felt a bit nervous. Emily glared at Matthew and pointed downwards. Matthew went bright red and slipped back into a sitting position. As he moved, Maiyah's top shifted and my eyes flicked downwards. My jaw dropped. Holy shit.

"I err... I have to... to patrol" stammered Maiyah, pushing Matthew off her lap and shooting up, her hand pulling a fistful of fabric over her previously exposed tattoo.

"Maiyah" I called out weakly, standing up as she hurried towards the door. My mind was reeling, all coherent thoughts dropped clean away. I needed my girl and she was running off.

"Later, Paul" she said quickly, almost breaking into a sprint.

I shot across the room and caught sight of her as she phased mid-run, shredding her clothes in the process. My heart was pounding as I stood staring into the forest. She had my name tattooed on her? My name.

I didn't know how to feel. So many emotions flashed through me as I dropped to the ground. I felt shock, confusion, but most of all, elation. Maiyah had got that tattoo when we were fighting, when we were barely even friends, but she had got my name forever inked into her skin. A smile slowly spread across my face and I prayed the next few hours of her patrol would pass quickly so that I could see my girl again.

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><p><strong>AN: TA DA! What did you think? I quite enjoyed writing this chapter although I don't like the last two paragraphs. Anyway, REVIEW!**

**Also, I realised that getting a little message from an author to thank for a review makes me very happy, so if you review and have an account I will make sure I send you a message from now on!  
><strong>

**Oh look, a started a new line to remind you to review! Please? With a cherry on top?**

**-Lem x**


	14. The Chase Is On

**A/N: Hello all! So I think I messaged everyone I could after the last chapter! Let the good times roll!**

Thanks again to **ILOVEJADE, RANDOM COOKIE NINJA, tanny321, PhyscoPenguan64, FightingTheWolf, MyAwesomenessIsAwesome, Andreagirl1234, the anonymous reviewer **and **EvilEyeBeads **for leaving reviews last time!

**Andreagirl1234 – Thanks for the review! There will be a fight! I have it all planned out and it will happen in a way you won't expect! You may have to wait a few chapters for it though.**

**Anonymous reviewer! – Thanks for your review! Aah! I love it when people love my stories! I love Paul too! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 14: The Chase Is On<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

I ran and phased, panic coursing through me. How could I have let him see so easily? In all honesty, I'd had some sort of ridiculous idea that I could go my entire life without ever having to show Paul that shameful tattoo. Yeah, really ridiculous. And his face. He looked shocked, horrified maybe? I didn't wait to find out, just ran. Patrol would be a little longer today then.

_Hey there stranger, you're out early today, _said Collin happily.

I couldn't even think straight enough to reply, my mind was racing. All I could think about was Paul and how he was going to think I was weird and freaky and now he wouldn't want me anymore because I quite clearly had defective brain cells.

_Woah! You and Paul are hooking up? Does anyone know? _Collin practically yelled in my head.

Ok, I needed to stop thinking about Paul related stuff, for example the way his eyes light up when he gets really excited or the way he pauses for the tiniest fraction of a second before we kiss. Ahem, yes, stuff like that. Cue extreme internal groaning.

_Oh my god, I did not need to know that. I'm off to find Embry, _moaned Collin, and through his mind I could see him racing towards my house.

_Don't you even dare, _I growled, pushing my legs faster.

I managed to catch up with him a few hundred yards before the edge of the tree line. I phased back and kept running as I pulled my clothes on. Collin phased too and as he got his basketball shorts back on, I leapt on top of him, the both of us tumbling across the ground and into my back yard. He tried to get up and run towards the house, but was slowed by his laughter and the fact that I grabbed his ankle and he went plummeting back to the ground.

"What the hell is going on out here?" yelled Embry, running into the yard.

I looked up and smirked at his dishevelled appearance. Let me tell you something, you don't end up looking like that after you've been sleeping.

"Got a bit of news" said Collin, scrambling to his feet and puffing his chest out like an idiot. I rolled my eyes and got up, wiping dirt and leaves off my clothes.

"About the vampires?" asked Embry, looking suddenly alert.

"No, about your baby sister" laughed Collin, grabbing my arm and pulling me uncomfortably against his side.

"Don't" I hissed, elbowing him in his ribs. He moved slightly but that shit eating grin was still on his face.

"What? Tell me now" demanded Embry, his fists clenched.

"Ickle Maiyah's not so innocent. She's been smooching Paul, all kissy-kissy" said Collin making stupid noises. I growled and shoved against him, knocking him back to the ground. I leapt on top of him and swung my fist back ready to smack him one, when Embry spoke, making me freeze and go bright red.

"Thought so" he said in an almost bored voice. I spluttered and rolled off Collin, getting to my feet.

"How the hell did you know?" I gasped, trying to think of any times Embry could have walked in on me and Paul but I came up a blank.

"Come on sis, it was kind of obvious when you come home smelling more like Paul than yourself" he said with a smirk, smacking me lightly on the side of the head, "I think it's time for 'the talk'"

"No! I don't want to talk to you about that" I shrieked as Embry dragged me into the house, leaving Collin, almost bent double in hysterics, in the back yard.

"I'm not having you getting pregnant, you're still in school" said Embry shoving me towards the kitchen.

"I'm not going to get pregnant you dumbass. I don't even get a period so how would I get pregnant?" I growled, feeling a sense of satisfaction at embarrassing him slightly with talk of 'girly issues' as he called them.

"Well, just be safe, ok?" he mumbled before racing out of the room.

I laughed and followed him through to the front room where Sadie was looking slightly awkward on the sofa. I perched on the arm of the sofa as Embry flopped down between me and Sadie.

"Aloha" I said with a grin as Embry muttered about 'annoying sisters' under his breath.

"Hey" said Sadie blushing as Embry wrapped an arm round her shoulders.

"We're not in Hawaii" he grumbled shoving me off the arm.

"Close enough" I said with a shrug, pulling a twig out of my hair, "man, I really need to cut this off again"

"Like last time?" snorted Embry and I glowered remembering Paul's reaction and his terrible attempts at covering up how he felt about it.

"Piss off" I muttered, throwing a glob of mud at him, "I've got to go anyway, got paaaaa-rty to go to?"

I backed out of the room slowly, eyes wide, as Embry glared daggers at me. He hadn't told Sadie anything about being a shape shifter yet and there was me bandying words like 'patrol' about like it's nothing. As soon as I was out of sight, I ran. I knew Embry would get me later but I had to think about patrol. I groaned as I realised that now everyone would know about me and Paul. Stupid Collin.

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><p><em>Hey Maiyah, how's it going? I heard about you and lover boy, <em>said Quil as soon as I'd phased.

_Shut up Quil, otherwise when you and Claire get it on, I'm going to rip the shit out of you, _I growled, running a route down to where Seth would turn up. Seth was my running buddy now, since we ran at similar speeds, and he was our nose, so to speak.

_Oi, don't be dragging Claire into this, _he growled back.

_Well then, no commenting on my relationship, _I said sending smug thoughts through the mind link, including a few memories of being with Paul.

_Jesus Maiyah, please don't do that, it's creepy. You're still my little sister, _groaned Quil, making me laugh and let out a bark.

_Aloha, _chimed in Seth as he joined us for patrol. I snorted.

_Right back at you bro, _I said butting my head against his front leg as we started to run.

_Careful today Seth, she's got her mind in the gutter, _snickered Quil as he ran along the northern border.

_Doesn't she always?_ Said Seth, causing me to growl and accidentally-on-purpose flick my leg out to trip him.

_I hate you guys, _I grumbled, hoping the rest of patrol wouldn't be these two spoons ganging up on me.

Luckily, or unluckily, we were distracted when Quil picked up a fresh scent running alongside the highway. Seth and I raced to join him and we powered through the forest, the three of us following the scent until it seemed to suddenly disappear. No seriously, it just vanished. We didn't even reach any cliffs or drop-off points, just a dense patch of woodland.

_Maiyah, run back and warn Jake, _ordered Seth.

I gave a swift nod and changed direction, heading back to warn our alpha. As I was bottom of the pack, any of them could order me and it had almost the same effect as a real alpha order. I sprinted back as fast as I could, phasing and pulling my clothes on as I ran towards Jake's house.

"Maiyah? What's happened? Have you found something?" asked Jake as soon as I crashed into the living room.

"Fresh trail, a bit further in from the highway, to the east" I gasped out, rubbing at the palm of my hand as the cuts healed over.

"Quil and Seth are still out there, yes?" asked Jake as we ran back outside.

"Yeah, but the scent just vanished. I mean, I know I can't really smell them, but even I noticed a change in the air" I said quickly stripping off and following Jake through the trees.

As we ran, Jake howled out a summons and we were soon joined by the minds of the others. We gathered around the spot that the scent had vanished. I could faintly smell a weird flowery scent but that was it. I was pretty useless when it came to hunting vampires.

_You're not useless, _said Paul softly, scampering over to me and licking my nose. I snorted and pressed myself against his side.

_Guys, focus, _barked Jake, standing alert, _I want every to spread out, look for anything unusual like a footprint, or broken branches. Seth stick with Maiyah, you can cover good ground together. No complaints please Paul, you have issues to sort out but you can do it outside of patrol time._

I heard Paul growl and he seemed to tense. Then I remembered the tattoo and shuddered, shutting off that part of my thoughts. We all set off running, trying to find any little hints that would give us a trail of a bloodsucker, but nothing. The original trail was getting old and there had been no fresh scents. Jake finally let us leave at around 8pm. I phased back and pulled my clothes on, grimacing at the amount of mud that was caked all over me. I span round as I heard someone come up behind me.

"Hey" said Paul, stepping forward and staring at me intently.

"Hi there" fiddling with a twig that had been on my t shirt. Cue long moment of awkward silence where neither of us knows what to say.

"I like it" said Paul softly, stepping closer to me.

"What?" I asked sharply, not really sure what he was going on about. My eyes were wide as he stopped a few inches in front of me. I felt his hand press over my second tattoo and gulped.

"I like your tattoo" he said smiling a proper smile, "why didn't you want me to see it?"

My cheeks were on fire. It was possibly the most embarrassing tattoo ever. Well, to me it was, if I was Leah I'd be thinking completely differently. Anyway, getting off topic.

"Because" I said, stepping back slightly, "I wasn't ready to show you"

"But it's just a tattoo" said Paul looking slightly hurt. I looked away and folded my arms so I didn't accidentally fling myself at him.

"You don't think it's a teensy bit weird that it's your name? It's kind of embarrassing" I admitted, tapping my foot to distract myself. My gaze snapped down as my foot was pinned to the floor by Paul's. I looked up into his eyes and felt myself being drawn in.

"I think it's hot" said Paul, a grin suddenly appearing on his face as he tucked a flyaway piece of hair behind my ear.

"Hot, huh?" I said, smirking at this sudden turn of events. My arms may have accidentally twisted their way around his neck. I sure was having a lot of these accidents today.

"Very, sexy even" he said, one arm tight around my waist while the other hand stroked softly against the tattoo.

"What are you trying to do to me?" I groaned against his neck.

"Nothing. Me and your tattoo just want to get better acquainted" he said mischievously, kissing my ear. I pulled back, my face flushed for an entirely different reason than before.

"I can't" I said looking at the ground.

"Shit, I'm so sorry" whispered Paul, a look of complete horror covering his face as I looked back at him, "I pressured you. Oh shit, that was so bad, I'm sorry"

"Paul, you didn't pressure me, I just... can't" I said gripping his shoulders. He didn't seem to be listening to me.

"I'm sorry" he said again, the horror gone from his face, but now hidden in his eyes.

"Paul, quit saying sorry" I yelled, shaking his shoulders, time to be brave and stupid, "I want to go all the way with you. Trust me, I've thought about it a lot, but just, not right now. So please, don't beat yourself up for being a guy, I know I'm irresistible"

Paul actually managed to crack a smile at that, hope and happiness shining in his eyes. I grinned at him and smoothed my hand across his chest. Yes, I know I shouldn't tease him but come on, he was the irresistible one, not me.

"Do I still get to kiss you?" he asked trying to look all innocent even though I could see the glint in his eyes.

"Maybe, it depends" I said, stroking my nonexistent beard.

"On what?" said Paul, his mouth dropping open. He was so easy to wind up.

"On whether or not you are prepared to face Embry's wrath" I said, wiggling my fingers mysteriously. I nearly blew it by bursting out laughing, but I kept my cool.

"He... he doesn't want us to be together?" stammered Paul, going slightly pale.

"No, I think his exact words were 'I'm going to kill him', I wasn't too sure what he meant" I said gazing thoughtfully into the distance. I heard a spluttering sound and looked back to Paul who looked as though he was going to throw up. I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing. A look of realisation dawned on his face.

"I can't believe you would do that to me" he said holding a hand across his heart looking dejected. I immediately felt guilty.

"It was just a joke, I didn't mean it, I swear" I said grabbing his hands. Then he busted up laughing.

"Payback" he gasped out between laughter. I growled and shoved him backwards before turning and marching away.

I didn't get very far before I heard Paul's pounding footsteps and his warm hand wrapped around my wrist. I was spun round and pinned against a tree. There was no time to respond before Paul's lips came crashing down onto my own, leaving me completely breathless.

"Sorry" panted Paul, pulling back after several minutes, "but please don't walk away from me"

"I won't" I breathed, resting my forehead against his shoulder.

"Oi, lovebirds, cool it" yelled a voice and my head shot up to find Embry strolling through the trees on his way home.

"We weren't doing anything" I huffed, extracting myself from between Paul and the tree.

"Yeah, like I believe that" snorted Embry, grabbing my arm and pulling me away towards home.

Paul followed behind us and he was unusually quiet. I don't know if he was embarrassed at being caught by my brother, or still worried that Embry might actually kill him. When we reached the house Embry went straight inside and told me I had ten minutes before I had to be in. I turned to Paul who was fidgeting. I stepped towards him and hugged his waist.

"What's wrong?" I asked, closing my eyes as the tiredness started to kick in.

"It was a joke earlier wasn't it? About Embry?" he asked nervously.

"I told you, didn't I? Of course it was a joke. If he tried to hurt you, I'd kick him in the nuts so hard he wouldn't be able to walk for a week" I mumbled, placing a soft kiss on Paul's chest.

"I bet you would" he said with a chuckle, "but I have another question. Can I see your tattoo properly? I only caught a quick glimpse before"

I lifted my head up and raised an eyebrow at him. He had a cheesy grin covering his face and his eyes were twinkling. I huffed and pulled back, folding my arms across my chest.

"You can see it if you let me do one thing" I said grinning.

"Anything, I swear" said Paul nodding his head vigorously.

"Very well, I want to cut my hair again. Short, like before" I said, trying to not give in as Paul pulled out his puppy dog eyes.

"But, why?" he asked sadly.

"It's too long. I mean, it's ok for just patrolling and messing around, but when it comes to chasing vampires it's really hot and uncomfortable" I said shrugging, "but I thought I'd ask you first, considering how you reacted when I made Leah cut it ages ago"

"Ok, you can cut your hair" sighed Paul after a few moments had passed, "I mean, you did look really sweet when it was short"

"Thanks" I said, beaming at him and flinging my arms round his neck, "right, tattoo"

I pulled back and tugged my t shirt up, exposing the ink. Paul stared at it for ages then suddenly dropped to his knees. I looked around, hoping no one was watching, then looked back at Paul. He raised a hand and trailed his fingers lightly over the letters, the fingers of his other hand pulling the waistband of my shorts down slightly to uncover half of the 'l'. I shuddered involuntarily at his touch and felt a warm glow in my cheeks. I inhaled sharply when Paul leaned forward and placed a kiss on my hip before he stood up and kissed my lips instead. I melted into him as his warm arms encircled my waist.

"I should let you go" sighed Paul, burying his face in the crook of my neck.

"I suppose" I said, pulling away from Paul, "night then, see you tomorrow after school maybe?"

"Yeah, I'll see if I can get off work early. Night then, sweet dreams" said Paul running his hand through my hair, probably saying goodbye to it in his head.

"Night. Love you" I said reaching up and kissing him quickly.

"Love you too" he said softly, watching as I walked into the house.

Embry was sat watching some sport on the TV when I dropped down onto the sofa. I felt exhausted. So much had happened in the last few hours that my brain and body felt like they'd been mushed up.

"I'm going to be the evil big brother" said Embry looking slightly apologetic, "you have to study for that maths test"

"Oh god, I'd completely forgotten" I wailed, smacking my head back against the sofa, "I'm going to fail and be a screw up"

"Yep" said Embry. I looked over at him all ready to punch his lights out but he had his eyes closed to I doubt he even heard what I said. I sighed and reached for the phone.

"Who are you calling?" asked Embry, cracking one eye open. I finished dialling and held the handset up to my ear before turning back to him.

"Carlisle Cullen"

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><p><strong>AN: Voila! How was it? Hope you all enjoyed it! I'm already planning the vampire showdown! Also, film recommendation time! Everyone should go see 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel'. It is amazing! Saw it today and I was the youngest person in there!**

**Anyway, please review! I'll send you a message and a virtual high 5!**

**-Lem x**


	15. Change Is Coming

**A/N: Hello again people! Long time, no see and all that jazz!**

Thankyou to **ILOVEJADE, PhyscoPenguan64, Andreagirl1234, tanny321, Bookworm6193, EvilEyeBeads **and **MyAwesomenessIsAwesome **for reviewing the last chapter!

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 15: Change Is Coming<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

"Do you know how stupid that was? Jake, tell her" yelled Embry, gripping my arm and shaking me towards Jake.

"Embry, I can't control Maiyah" said Jake in a calm but tired voice.

"But she can't just go around calling bloodsuckers up all the time. They're the ones that half turned her in the first place" yelled Embry, his eyes frantic and his body trembling slightly.

"Calm down" ordered Jake, staring pointedly at Embry before continuing "it might be for the best"

"Have you lost your mind?" yelled Embry, struggling to control himself, "you know what, forget it. Turn yourself into vampire chow. I don't care"

I stared open mouthed as Embry ran from the room, the front door crashing against the wall as it was ripped open. I turned back to Jake who collapsed onto the sofa, a hand over his eyes. I shuffled on the spot, nervously. I was kind of pissed at Embry. I only wanted answers and he was blowing everything out of proportion.

"Maiyah, just go to bed, you have school tomorrow" said Jake with a sigh.

"Jake, I just wanted to know" I said getting progressively more frustrated.

"I know you did" said Jake getting up and pushing me towards the stairs, "I'll see you tomorrow, I'm not letting him see you on your own"

I huffed a goodbye and trudged up the stairs. Embry was blowing this way out of proportion. All I did was call Carlisle to ask a few questions. It wasn't my fault that Embry tried to tackle the phone from my grip, and it definitely was not my fault when Carlisle's voice drifted out of the speaker to say he was passing through Washington the day after next and would stop by his old house for a visit if I wished to talk to him.

I lay awake for nearly an hour, just tossing and turning. Embry still hadn't come home and as much as I hated to admit it, I was worried about him. I rolled over and checked the time. It was past 11pm and I had a maths test tomorrow that I hadn't studied for. In the end I just got up and went downstairs. I may as well go out and find Embry. I went outside and phased.

_Maiyah? What are you doing out? _Said Leah as soon as I was all wolfed out.

_I have to find Embry, have you seen him? _I replied, trying to sniff out any trails he might have left.

_He's up on the cliff, _said Leah and I could feel her hiding something from me.

I said my thanks before phasing back and deciding to run there on foot. I didn't really want to have anyone in my head right now, I'd probably just get on their nerves anyway. It didn't take long to reach the cliff top. I walked the last hundred metres so I didn't suddenly startle Embry. As I neared the tree line, my mouth dropped open. Embry was crying. Embry _never _cried. He was the strong, responsible brother, whereas I was the impulsive, temperamental little girl.

"Embry?" I said cautiously, stepping out through the trees. He wiped his hands over his face before turning to me.

"You should be asleep" he said in a choked up voice.

"I came to find you" I said, fighting the urge to just run and cling onto him like I used to after we fought when we were younger. I think Embry felt the same because he patted the ground next to him. I immediately rushed over and wrapped my arms around him.

"I'm ok, Moomin" whispered Embry using my old nickname, his arms around me too, "I just worry about you"

"You don't have to" I mumbled, scrunching my face up.

"But I do. You're my whole family and I don't want anything to happen to you. It hurt so much when you disappeared all those years ago and then you came back part vampire. I just kept waiting for the venom to hit and for you to drop dead any second. I felt like I'd failed you" said Embry, his voice shaking, "then you phoned that Cullen today, and it was as though you were slipping away from me again"

I sat stunned for a moment. We had never openly spoken about what happened with the Cullen's since the time it happened. I vaguely knew that Embry had been upset, but I hadn't realised how much it had affected him. Although thinking about it, if our positions had been replaced, I would never have let Embry leave my sight ever again.

"I just want some answers. I want to know why I can't smell vampires. It makes me useless and I don't like feeling useless" I said gripping on tighter to my brother.

"I know, it's ok, I won't stop you from seeing him" said Embry with a sigh, "come on, let's go home"

We walked home slowly and in silence. Sometimes, you just don't need to say anything. I felt exhausted by the time we actually reached our house and Embry half carried me up to my room.

"I'm sorry about what I said before. I don't want you to be vampire food" said Embry as he tucked me into bed and kissed my forehead.

"It's ok, love you Embry" I said with a yawn, my eyes drifting shut.

"Love you too Moomin"

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><p>I woke up feeling more tired than ever. Then I jolted awake as I realised I was half an hour late in getting up. I had thought that I could maybe get in a couple of hours study before I left but I would be lucky to get five minutes. I raced through getting ready. Embry had left a note on the fridge saying that he had early morning patrol and wished me luck in my test. I groaned. I was the biggest let down in the world.<p>

I grabbed a slice of bread and ran outside to my truck, leaping in and speeding along the roads in my haste to get to school on time. Amos, Rachelle and Toby were waiting for me by the benches and I collapsed down beside Toby, smacking my head against his shoulder. His shoulder which was suddenly very warm and higher up than I ever remembered. I slowly lifted my head and gave him a subtle once over while the others chatted aimlessly. Toby had grown. A lot. As in, about to phase type growth. Well, shit.

"Maiyah, did you hear what I just said?" said Rachelle loudly, her hand waving in front of my face, I shook my head, "I asked if you'd seen the wolves. They're giant. I swear there were two just across the street from me, they were like, running through the trees. Do you think we should warn the rangers?"

"What? No, don't be silly, there are always wolves and they never hurt anyone. The rangers would tell you the same thing" I said with a nervous laugh, exchanging worried looks with Amos.

"But what if this time they decide they want to eat someone?" asked Rachelle.

"Rachelle, just leave it, ok?" I snapped. Rachelle jumped back in shock. My eyes widened.

"I'm sorry, I was just worried" said Rachelle quietly.

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped. I just... I didn't get much sleep last night and I'm panicking about maths" I said with a quick smile.

"Oh god yeah. Don't worry, you'll do great" said Rachelle, our little snap already forgotten.

Luckily, the bell went off as we finished talking. Rachelle and Toby leapt up and started towards the entrance. I studied Toby. He was now at least 6'2" whereas only last week, he had been two inches shorter, the same height as Amos.

"He's going to phase isn't he?" said Amos quietly.

"Yep" was all I said. I didn't want to worry Amos. He didn't really know much about the new vampires that we were chasing, he was just happy to be getting to know Leah.

Most of the day went by ok. Until Maths. I was sat waiting in my usual seat when Lucas Redley, or Red as he liked to be known, walked in. He was showing signs of phasing as well. So then I had the maths test, which went horrifically. Whatever I had managed to learn flew out of my head, my mind preoccupied with Toby and now Red. I hoped they were the only two who this was happening to.

I raced out of school and sped back down the highway, my truck protesting the further, and faster, I drove. I almost lost control and crashed straight through the wall of Jake's house as the wheels skidded across the newly gravelled driveway. Jake came racing out, cursing loudly and I leapt out of the truck.

"Nice to see you too" I said folding my arms and planting my feet firmly on the ground as Jake tried to flatten out the gravel.

"Well if you plan on ruining my house every time you come here then I'll kick your ass" said Jake getting me in a headlock and dragging me into the house.

"Hi Billy" I yelled as I fought with Jake. I heard a chuckle and knew he was probably rolling his eyes right now.

"Right, now what were you doing trashing my beautiful new driveway?" asked Jake when he finally managed to pin me down.

"You're such a girl" I snorted, before remembering why I came, "there are two boys that I think might phase soon"

Jake loosened his grip on me and let me up. His expression was one of shock.

"But no one's phased since you" said Jake flopping down in an armchair.

"There haven't been any vampire threats since me, either" I reminded him.

"Who?" asked Jake, leaning forward for more information.

"Toby Sutton, he's one of my best friends so I can keep a close eye on him, and Lucas Redley, but everyone calls him Red" I said hoping they were the only two that would phase.

"I know Red. His dad buys a lot of parts from the garage" said Jake, getting up and pacing across the room, "you think you can keep an eye on both of them?"

"Yes, shouldn't be too difficult. Toby's growing fast, Red's bulking up and growing at nearly the same rate" I said, giving as much information as I could.

"Ok, I would say maybe in the next week they might phase" said Jake, a look of deep concentration on his face, "I'll let Sam know, he knows how to deal with this sort of stuff"

"Ok, well, I better go. I need to study again. The chance of needing to retake that test is high" I said with a roll of my eyes.

* * *

><p>I drove back to mine at a more careful speed. I didn't want my truck to die on me, it may be old, but it was my life. Embry was in when I got back. He automatically grilled me about the test but wasn't too upset about my obvious failure. I told him about Toby and Red and he said the same as Jake, to keep an eye on them.<p>

"Oh, and Carlisle phoned. He's back earlier than expected, so if you want to go see him tonight, you can" he said with a blank expression.

"Thanks, I probably will" I said with a smile. I was about to go upstairs when Embry caught my arm.

"Take Paul with you. I don't want you going alone" he said looking serious. I nodded and carried on upstairs.

Paul would throw a fit when he found out I planned on seeing Carlisle. I'm actually surprised that he hasn't already been round yelling his case against why I shouldn't go. I loved Paul, I really did, but I had to see Carlisle. There was something else I wanted to ask him but I hadn't voiced my question to anyone.

I rang him after dinner and told him I would pick him up from his. He was enthusiastic but kept trying to find out what I wanted to do. I wouldn't give him even a little clue. I would tell him when he was safely locked in my truck with no way to escape. Oh yes, I was an evil imprint.

"So where are we going?" asked Paul as soon as he got in the truck.

"For a drive" I replied, revving the engine and clicking on the locking system at the same time to cover the sound. There was a pause.

"Why did you just lock the doors?" he asked and when I looked over his eyes were narrowed. I laughed nervously and shrugged, turning back to stare at the tarmac.

"Err... safety?" I said clutching the steering wheel tightly.

"Safety? You're a shape shifting, vampire, wolf girl, and you're worried about safety?" he said, a disbelieving smirk on his face. I stared at his face for a couple of seconds, subconsciously speeding up in the process.

"Ok, so maybe we're going to see Carlisle Cullen, but-"

"What?" roared Paul, leaping in his seat and making the truck swerve, "why the hell are we going to see that leech?"

"See, this is exactly why I didn't tell you! You're overreacting, he's a nice guy" I yelled, speeding up even more, my poor truck groaning in protest.

"I'm not overreacting. I know what he did to you the first time. If you hadn't survived, I would never have imprinted on you and... and... I love you, I don't want you to be in danger" he said starting with a roar and finishing in a softer, pained voice. I turned to him and his expression matched his tone, pained.

"I know, I'm sorry, but I have to ask him some things" I said, feeling incredibly guilty.

We drove in complete silence the rest of the way to the old Cullen mansion. The tension was thick and making me uneasy. It was unnatural. Me and Paul were never like this, we got over things when we fought. When I stopped the truck we both sat there in complete silence, me gripping the wheel and Paul just unmoving.

"I won't let him hurt you" he said in almost a whisper. I turned and saw that Paul was hurt and conflicted.

"You've got my back, I know" I sighed smacking my head back against the seat and closing my eyes.

"Always" whispered Paul and I felt him lean in and kiss my temple before releasing the locks and getting out.

I followed him slowly, clutching at his hand as he rang the doorbell even though I'm sure Carlisle already knew we were here. I looked up at Paul who had his nose wrinkled and his eyes were watering slightly. I sniffed but couldn't smell anything other than Paul and the surrounding forest. Carlisle soon came to open the door and invited us in. Paul's grip on my hand tightened and he refused to let go.

"Gosh, you've grown so much" said Carlisle with a warm smile. Well, as warm as a vampire can get.

"Yeah, that's generally how life works" I said with a shrug, making Carlisle chuckle and Paul's grip tighten even more.

"Well then, you wanted to ask a few questions. Why don't we get comfortable and then begin. Would you like tea?" asked Carlisle leading us into the living room.

"No thanks" I said, answering for both of us. I knew Paul would never eat or drink anything given to him by a vampire. I looked around as we all took our seats. For somewhere that hadn't been lived in for years, it was remarkably clean.

"So Maiyah, how are things? You and Paul seem very happy" said Carlisle kindly, although one glance at Paul and you would think he was the angriest, most miserable person in the world.

"Everything's going well" I said smiling briefly. Cue dramatically long pause full of awkwardness and lots of glaring from a certain Mr Lahote.

"So you had some questions?" prompted Carlisle, breaking through the awkward atmosphere.

"Yeah, umm, do you have any idea why I can't smell any vampires? It's really annoying because everyone else can and then I hold someone else back because they have to run with me and... I'll shut up now" I said feeling my face going bright red. Paul let go of my hand and wrapped his arm round my waist instead, pulling me closer to him. Carlisle just chuckled.

"I understand your frustration. You feel different to the others but you just want to fit in, right?" said Carlisle, almost completely ignoring Paul who had taken to growling under his breath.

"Yeah" I mumbled, fiddling with the hem of Paul's shorts.

"Ok, well, I would put it down to you being part vampire. Your senses don't recognise our scent as you have venom in your blood. Tell me, do you smell anything at all when a vampire is near?" said Carlisle, leaning back and crossing his legs.

"Well, no, not really. I mean, it's kind of a bit sweeter but it doesn't hurt or burn like it does with the others" I said shrugging, feeling bad for Paul at the same time, who was having to sit here enduring the smell.

"Well then, that'll be the case. You're not 'wolf' enough" said Carlisle, in what I'm sure he meant in a kind way but I found it a bit offensive, finding myself giving a growl as well as Paul.

We sat in a stalemate again for a few moments before I plucked up the courage to ask my more important question. I looked at Paul who had both eyes trained on Carlisle but was turned towards me. I put my hands on his leg and leant up to his ear. I knew Carlisle would be able to hear anything we said to each other, but I wanted a tiny shred of privacy.

"Paul, can you wait outside for a few minutes?" I whispered, my face pressed against his neck and I felt the rumble of a growl, "please?"

"Two minutes" he ground out before springing up and heading outside.

I did feel a bit unprotected without Paul but I knew that Carlisle was no threat and tried to relax. I could see Paul pacing by the truck through the window. His hands were clenching and unclenching and I knew he was fighting the urge to either phase on the spot or come racing in, or both.

"You wanted to ask something else?" asked Carlisle quietly enough that Paul wouldn't be able to hear him.

"Yes" I said, taking a deep breath before continuing, "is it possible to get the venom out, ever? I don't want to be like this, constantly dropping out every few weeks and being different from everyone else"

I saw a look on conflict pass across his face. I needed to know. I didn't want to be different any more.

"Yes, it's possible" said Carlisle after a long few minutes.

"How? Why didn't you do it before?" I asked, trying not to let my voice rise.

"You were young and practically on death's door when the venom first entered your system. It kept you alive. It would be very painful for you if the venom were to be removed. You have always been strong and brave, but you wouldn't have been able to handle pain on that scale" said Carlisle, sounding almost tired.

"How do you do it?" I asked, my heart pounding. Carlisle naturally heard this and sighed a little.

"I would have to suck the venom out, but the initial bite alone would be excruciating for someone like you with Quileute blood, shifter blood" he said, keeping my gaze, "and it may not be successful"

"So if it doesn't work, I stay as I am?" I asked, clenching my hands.

"No Maiyah, there's a chance it may claim your life"

I bit my lip and looked out of the window where Paul was now gripping onto the truck, his head down as he kicked a hole in the dirt. Paul was my future. I would do anything for him. I didn't want him to have to worry about my health every time I felt my hands going numb. If Carlisle was successful, I could have the future that was already set out for me. I would have the best man in the world by my side. But if it didn't work? I shuddered at the thought. Would Paul be ok without me? I would have to take the risk.

"What are the chances of success?" I asked, my voice shaking slightly as I continues to watch Paul take his frustrations out on the ground.

"Fifty-fifty" said Carlisle simply. I turned back to him and took a deep breath.

"I'll do it"

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><p><strong>AN: Voila, a new chapter! What did you think? Not as much Paul/Maiyah in this but I fancied some sibling love and a darker path for the last bit.**

**Please review!**

**-Lem x**


	16. Emotions and Explosions

**A/N: Aloha! Hope everyone is having a totally amazing day. I'm writing this on Sunday and making you all wait a day. I am just that nice :P**

Thanks to **EvilEyeBeads, Bookworm6193, PhyscoPenguan64, Andreagirl1234,** **tanny321 **and for reviewing the last chapter and also **Jordan Morgan Uley Cullen .xoxo **for giving a few pointers of improvements!

**Also... OVER 100 REVIEWS! I LOVE YOU GUYS!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 16: Emotions and Explosions<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

"Can you do it on Friday night?" I asked, my gaze fixed on Paul who was visibly shaking outside.

"If that's what you would like. Maybe you should clear it with your brother? Or Paul?" said Carlisle calmly, even though he could sense my growing anxiety and Paul's growing rage.

"No" I said quickly, turning back to Carlisle, "I don't want them to know. They'll try and stop me, they won't understand"

"Very well" said Carlisle with a small smile.

"I should go" I said tilting my head towards the window.

Carlisle smiled and showed me to the door. I thanked him and ran over to Paul who was growling and snarling menacingly. He had his eyes fixed on Carlisle, a dark, angry look in his eyes. I placed my hands on his cheeks and forced him to look at me.

"Everything's ok, see? I'm fine" I said quietly, stroking his warm skin.

"I don't trust him" he growled, his eyes flicking back towards the house.

"You don't trust anyone, now let's go" I said, pulling Paul towards the truck.

The drive back to La Push was quiet. There was some lingering tension in the air and I didn't like it, but I couldn't tell Paul what I was going to do. He would lose focus completely and not even care if a vampire slipped through the patrols. It was safer for him not to know. But if I didn't get through Friday night, the night when Carlisle would try and get rid of my vampire genes altogether, I wanted to enjoy the last few days I had left. I didn't want to be fighting with Paul.

"Can we go to the beach?" I asked softly.

Paul had insisted on driving back and now looked at me in surprise. I don't know what expression I had on my face, but whatever it was, it made Paul carry on driving past both our houses and not stopping until we reached the ocean.

The moonlight was shining out across the beach in almost the same way it had the other week when we had been here. We both exited the truck and walked across the sand, ending up near the water. I sat down, pulling Paul down as well. I burst out laughing when his foot slipped in the sand and he landed with a thump.

"You're so mean" he huffed, even though there was a giant grin on his face.

I studied his face as he lay back, the light bouncing off his features as he stared up at the dark sky. I smiled, feeling a horrible sinking feeling inside of me. It felt as though the world knew that everything would go wrong on Friday and I would never get to see Paul again. Suddenly his eyes shifted and met mine.

"What?" he asked, reaching his hand up and tugging on the ends of my hair.

"I really love you, you know that right?" I said, a lump rising in my throat. I dropped my gaze to the sand, biting my lip hard to try and keep my cool. Paul sat up, sand drifting back to ground. His hand moved and cupped my cheek, lifting my gaze to meet his. I felt the lump in my throat rise uncomfortably and I swallowed hard to force it down.

"Of course I know that. I love you too, more than anything" said Paul softly, his thumb rubbing my cheek, "what's up?"

"It's nothing" I whispered, feeling the traitorous tears begin to pool in my eyes. I immediately drop my gaze again even though I can't get away from Paul's warm hands.

"Why are you crying? Did that leech do something to you? I swear, if he ever-"

"He didn't do anything" I said quickly, cutting off Paul and moving to huddle against him, "it's just me being silly"

"Are you worried about the new vampires? Because they won't get you, I won't let them" said Paul with determination, his warm arms wrapping tightly around me, holding me against his chest. I sniffed and pressed my face into his t shirt.

"Yeah, something like that" I whispered, hating that I was lying to him, but it was for the best, "I just want a future with you, please just remember that. Always remember"

"I know" said Paul quietly.

I felt myself drifting off and welcomed the warmth that Paul gave off. I woke up in my own bed, grey light filtering through the poorly drawn curtains. I rubbed my head and tried to remember how I got here. Probably Paul brought me back. I groaned and rolled out of bed to get ready for school. Not only did I have the threat of vampires on my mind, I had now burdened myself with Friday and I would have to watch Toby and Red just in case they phased anywhere unexpected.

* * *

><p>"Ouch, you look rough" said Amos, wincing as I sat down.<p>

"Gee, thanks" I mumbled smacking my head against the desk.

"Late night?" he asked quietly as Mr Tucker entered the room.

"Yeah, went to the beach with Paul" I replied in the same quiet tone, knowing that Tucker couldn't hear us over everyone else's chatter.

"Ooo, how is lover boy?" asked Amos with a smirk and a quick raise of his eyebrows. I couldn't help but smile back.

"He's good" I reply, my own smirk forming on my lips, "how's it going with Leah?"

I smirked even more when he went a lovely bright red.

"Really good. I think I might ask her out soon" he replied, suddenly very interested in his pen. I sat up determined not to miss anything.

"Oh yeah? I say you just go for it" I say smirking at the thought of Leah becoming a mushy girly-girl.

"Think I will" said Amos flicking a ball of paper at me.

I rolled my eyes and tried to concentrate on whatever Tucker was saying which was a constant struggle these days as my mind was always one something or someone else. It was at lunch when everything went a bit tits up. I was sitting in my normal spot with Amos and Toby. Rachelle was just racing into the room from her chemistry class.

"Oh my gosh you guys, Red and Alex are fighting in the yard" she squealed, her eyes wide.

I exchanged a look with Amos and grabbed Toby's arm. He would have enough strength to help me with Red if I needed it. We all raced outside to where a few people had gathered around the arguing boys. Red was shaking violently. Not a good sign. I stepped forward and grabbed his arm, feeling the vibrations from him running through me. He span round and growled at me.

"Get your filthy hands off me" he snarled, his eyes dark with anger.

"No, you're coming with me" I said firmly, starting to drag him towards the trees that lined the yard, "Toby, with me"

I clamped my arms tight around Red as I continued to pull him away from all of the spectators. He struggled and cursed all the time, but I managed to get him deep into the forest. Toby had followed us although he looked seriously confused. I finally let go of Red and he stood shaking and convulsing as he eyed me and Toby suspiciously.

"What the hell is going on?" he ground out, his eyes glazed, heat rolling off him.

"Nothing much, just thought we could all go for a stroll" I said casually, leaning back against a tree. Toby had started to shake slightly, whether from nerves at being this close to Red or for anger, I didn't know, but it would make this all a bit easier.

"I'm going back" snarled Red, his foot moving a fraction of an inch before I slammed the palms of my hands against his chest and he tumbled to the forest floor.

Toby gave off a squeak of surprise as Red crawled up onto all fours, his shaking violent at this point. I stepped back as he burst into a ball of light grey fur, jaws snapping, his growls even louder and the fur on his back standing up. I turned to Toby who looked white as a sheet and was also shaking violently. I didn't even have to push him for his phase to happen. I was soon looking at another ball of black fur. Toby began running into trees, bashing his head against the bark while Red stood still, growling like there was no tomorrow. I rolled my eyes and stripped off, not caring that they would both see, they would get used to it. I joined them in wolf form, my light brown and white streaked fur looking a bit odd against their fur.

_Shit, shit, shit, shit, oh my god I've gone mad, _naturally Toby was the one freaking out.

_Calm down, you're not crazy, _and that was Embry trying to sort him out.

_Hey guys, _I said brightly, delighted by the fact that Paul was phased as well. I couldn't hear much from Red, only the growing panic that I knew happened before any major explosion.

_Maiyah, you're meant to be in school, _said Embry sternly as he powered towards us.

_Lay off Embry, she had to sort these two out, _growled Paul as he too raced in our direction.

_Oh shit, I'm hearing things, oh god, it's the grim reaper, please let it be quick, I don't want to die slowly, _ screamed Toby, who just dropped to the floor and buried his head in a pile of leaves.

I was taken completely off guard when I felt teeth sink into my hind leg. I yelped and span round, throwing Red into a tree. I limped forward and stood over him, growling for him to calm down. I could visibly see him droop and he started whining pathetically.

_I'm so sorry, I didn't think this was real, _he whimpered, fear shining from his eyes.

Paul charged into the area as Red lay there cowering and Toby shook in a pile of leaves. It was quite amusing really. Paul didn't think so. He growled and practically stood on top of Red.

_Don't you ever, dare, hurt her ever again or you will be one dead wolf, _he snarled before backing off as Embry came to take over the situation.

Paul padded over to me and licked my face before moving further round and licking at the already healing wounds on my leg. I growled at the uncomfortable stinging but knew I would be just fine in half an hour.

Between me, Paul and Embry, we managed to get Toby and Red to move through the forest so that we were near Jake's. Unfortunately his house was more exposed than Sam's and so we couldn't bring them into the open. I phased back and pulled my clothes on. The puncture marks in my right leg weren't quite healed over so a few trails of blood ran down from my knee. I saw Paul exchange a look with Embry before he phased and pulled on shorts. I half fell into him.

"I've got you" said Paul wrapping a strong arm around my waist and helping me limp over to Jake's.

"Red and Toby have phased" I said with a wince as Paul moved me.

"Wow, that was quick" said Jake in surprise, "you guys head in and get cleaned up, I'll go give them the low down"

Paul pulled me inside and I collapsed into one of Jake's kitchen chairs. I couldn't hear Billy, he must be round at his friend Charlie's house. Paul grabbed a clean cloth and a bowl of water, sloshing the stuff everywhere as he hurried back to me.

"How are you feeling?" he asked looking worried, dabbing at the blood.

"Totally spiffing" I drawled, laughing when Paul splashed some water at me, "it's just a scratch"

I smiled innocently as Paul raised his eyebrow at me.

"What? Just because I'm not a drama queen" I said with a snort.

"If you were a drama queen, I'd throw you into the sea until you were normal again" he replied, chucking away the mucky water.

"You'd throw me in anyway" I said standing up and putting some weight on my leg. I twinged but I could walk. I hobbled into the front room and dropped onto the sofa. Paul soon followed, sitting as close to me as possible and wrapping both arms around me.

"Promise you won't do anything to Red?" I said poking at Paul's stomach.

"But he bit you" said Paul sounding annoyed.

"Yes, he did" I said, Paul tried to speak but I cut him off, "and I remember a certain someone biting our former alpha"

"That was different" he said gruffly. I looked up at him and smirked when I saw his pout.

"No it wasn't. You phased, then you bit Sam, end of. Red phased, then he bit me, end of that as well" I said reaching up and kissing him quickly.

"Fine" grumbled Paul before leaning down to me and peppering kisses all over my face. I couldn't control my laughter as he tickled me as well.

"Guys, please" said Jake in an exasperated voice as he trudged into the house, "I've got both of them to phase back, just need some shorts then I'm bringing them in"

He gave us a warning look before heading through to his room and appearing a few moments later with two pairs of crinkled shorts. He shook his head as Paul and I smiled as angelically as we could. A few minutes later Embry and Jake came in followed by two very nervous and jumpy looking Red and Toby.

"Just make yourself at home guys" said Jake gesturing around the living room. I scooted closer to Paul so that Toby could sit down next to me. He looked like he'd seen a ghost.

"How's it going Toby?" I asked conversationally.

"Wonderful" he said in a high pitched squeak. Embry snorted and shook his head before going off to the kitchen.

"How about you Red?" I asked smiling at the other boy and elbowing Paul in the ribs when I heard the start of a growl.

"I err... I'm really sorry about your leg. I didn't mean to bite you like that" said Red looking really embarrassed, his fingers clasped together so tightly that his knuckles were white.

"Ah, don't worry about it. You're not the first to do something like that" I said smirking back up at Paul.

"Hold on, you guys are together? I thought you were like 30" said Red sounding a bit disgusted as he addressed Paul. My eyes narrowed and Paul was the one to stop me growling this time.

"I'm 18" said Paul in an unusually calm voice.

"We don't age once we start phasing" explained Jake, coming back from the kitchen, a few cans of pop in his hands.

"Oh" said Red, although a hint of the disgust was still present in his expression. The atmosphere was suddenly very tense.

"Paul, Maiyah, why don't you guys head off? Me and Embry will explain everything to the newbies" said Jake cutting through the tension.

I immediately leapt up and limped as fast as I could towards the door. Paul was hot on my heels, holding me up as I crashed outside. We made our way slowly through the forest walking mainly in silence. I had one nagging thought about what Red had said.

"You don't think it's disgusting do you? With me being so much younger" I mumbled digging my hands into my pockets. Paul stopped and pulled me round to look at him.

"No, of course not. Age doesn't matter, ever. Don't listen to Red, he doesn't understand" said Paul softly, his fingers trailing down my cheek, "plus he's just jealous because I got the best looking girl in the world"

I burst out laughing at this and Paul grinned, stepping forward and closing the gap between us. My laughter dried up as he ran his hands up and down my sides, causing my breathing to hitch embarrassingly.

"We have forever together anyway" he whispered as he lowered his lips to mine.

I tried not to think of what Friday might bring as Paul deepened the kiss. My arms made their way round his neck and I held on, not ever wanting to let go. As we parted, I buried my face in his neck, my eyes squeezed shut. Paul didn't complain or try to get me off him but I think he realised something was up. Thankfully he didn't question me, I would probably have spilt my guts if he asked me and ended up a mess of tears and snot. It was better this way.

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><p><strong>AN: That's it. I can't write anything more in this chapter. I'm totally distracted and not paying attention so if it's a bit rubbish then I sincerely apologise!**

**Also, I'm thinking of writing a Hunger Games story but I want to get all my Twilight stories finished first. I read all the books over the weekend and apart from ending up an emotional wreck, I fell in love with the books! So if you're a fan, I'm thinking of it :P**

**Anywho, please review!**

**-Lem x**


	17. I Love You, Forever

**A/N: Hello again peoples! I literally just started writing this at 4.08pm in the hopes of getting it ready for you guys tonight! I tried to start it sooner but nothing was working! Also, who's excited for the 23rd? The Hunger Games is out! Honestly I am beyond excited right now!**

Thanks very much to **Physcopenguan64, EvilEyeBeads, tanny321 **and **Andreagirl1234 **for reviewing the last chapter!

**Andreagirl1234- Because you asked for it, then yes, I will have Red imprint! I hope I can do the character well when she is introduced!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 17: I Love You, Forever<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

_**Saturday – 4.16am**_

I've died.

There is nothing left. Not a single breath passes my lips.

I'm dead.

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><p><em><strong>Friday – 9.25am<strong>_

Friday. A day of excitement for many people. A day to think about what to do at the weekend. Maybe the day your next paycheck comes in. A day to look forward to. But not for me. Friday was doomsday and it was making me feel sick. Maybe I was doing the wrong thing? I couldn't leave Paul behind. I would think of a way to keep him with me.

"What's got you in such a daydream?" whispered Amos, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Nothing much, just thinking about Toby and Red. They've settled in well" I whispered flashing a smile.

"Yeah? When are they coming back?" he replied, pretending to concentrate on his textbook when Mr Tucker glared in our direction.

"Maybe the end of next week if they can learn to control themselves" I whispered back, turning the pages of my own book.

"Great because I can't stand much more of Rachelle whining constantly" said Amos with a quiet snort. I grinned back.

It was true. Rachelle had been very grumpy this last week without Toby. I was also a bit worried. I mean, what if Toby didn't imprint on her and had to break up? That would hurt both of them and I didn't want that for them. They took too damn long getting together for that to happen. Oh shit. Now I'm thinking about Paul and I'm freaking welling up.

"Excuse me, Mr Tucker, can I be excused from class? I don't feel so good" I said trying to remain calm.

"Yes of course, do you need anyone to go with you?" asked Mr Tucker who looked genuinely concerned. He probably thought I was about to have a fit. The school had been told that I had epilepsy. It was the only plausible illness to explain all the random blackouts I had.

"No, I'll be ok" I muttered as I rushed past him and out into the corridor.

I ran straight to the bathrooms. No one was likely to be in there at this time. Teachers hardly ever let you out of class unless you were about to wet yourself or share last night's dinner with everyone. I locked the door of the cubicle behind me and sat down on the freshly disinfected floor, pulling my knees up to my chest and burying my face in them. I let the sobs take over. I didn't want to do it. I could call Carlisle and tell him I didn't want to risk my life. But then there was a part of me that just couldn't even do that.

I pulled my phone out as the sobs got less croaky and I was reduced to a sniffling, watery eyed, mess. The screen lit up and showed the screensaver picture shining brightly in the dim toilet cubicle. The picture showed me and Paul, the sun bouncing off our faces as we grinned at the camera, our cheeks pressed firmly together.

My head shot up as the squeak of the bathroom door echoed off the tiled walls. I tried to get my breathing in check so that whoever it was wouldn't stop to question anyone who was crying. I nearly stopped breathing when I heard the voice. Amos.

"Maiyah? You in here?" he hissed in a loud whisper. I quickly rubbed my hands over my face to rub away any signs of tears, and took a deep breath to steady myself, before opening the door slowly and walking over to the sinks.

"Hey" I said in a dull voice. From the look on Amos' face, there was no point pretending I was ok.

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly, pulling me into a hug and rubbing my back comfortingly. I couldn't help it, I burst into tears again.

"I'm going to mess everything up" I sobbed pathetically, squeezing my eyes tightly shut.

"What are you talking about? You haven't messed anything up" said Amos in surprise. I pulled back and took a shuddering breath.

"I have t-to do something, it's really d-dangerous and I m-might not be ok afterwards" I spluttered, roughly wiping at my tears.

"Then why are you doing whatever it is?" asked Amos, clearly confused.

"Because I want to be normal, I want to be perfect" I said before picking at some paint in the sink and adding a quiet, "for Paul"

There was a moment of silence and then Amos was hugging me again.

"Then I guess you have to do it. Although I know Paul loves you exactly as you are" he said squeezing my shoulders as he pulled back.

"But you can't tell anyone" I warned, wiping my hand across my face for the millionth time.

"Ok, I promise" said Amos with a smile. We both turned round as the door swung open and a sophomore shrieked in surprise. We both snorted and jogged outside. We grabbed our bags from Geography class and headed off to break.

The rest of the day passed far too quickly. All of lunch was spent trying to convince Rachelle that Toby really was sick and couldn't see her right now. I started to panic towards the end of the day. I was constantly fidgeting in my seat and got several glares from teachers. I couldn't explain to my History teacher that I might not return on Monday and that's why I couldn't write the essay, I couldn't tell my Maths teacher that I had been too distracted with pack life and that was the reason I failed Monday's test. I couldn't do anything.

When I finally got home, Paul was sat on the porch steps waiting for me. He smiled widely when he saw me and I tried to return the smile even though I felt incredibly guilty for doing this to him. I hadn't seen him for a couple of days and some of the weight in my chest did lift as he pulled me into his arms.

"I missed you so bad" he groaned into my neck, kissing it softly. Ok, play it cool, act natural.

"You missed me? Or was it just that tattoo that you can't get enough of?" I said in a light teasing way. Paul smirked and pulled away slightly so he could lean down and press his lips to mine.

"Both" he said, his fingers dancing across my hip as he chuckled to himself.

"You want to go down to the beach?" I asked as I walked inside and flung my stuff all over the living room floor.

"Go on then, we can go to our special place" said Paul gluing himself to my back, his arms wrapped around me from behind as I walked into the kitchen.

"Only because you don't want anyone to see you practically molesting me" I said with a snort as I tried to grab a can of pop from the fridge.

"You make me seem like such sleaze" he huffed into my ear before stealing my drink and running off.

"Hey, get back here you giant lump" I yelled, racing after him and tackling him onto the floor of the hallway.

I managed to wrestle the can out of his reach and I made a sound of disapproval when I realised he'd already drunk nearly a quarter of it. I took a large gulp before putting the can on the floor and turning my attention back to the idiot underneath me. He flipped over so he was lying on his back and I was straddling his abdomen. I pinned his hands next to his head and leaned down so I was a few inches from his face.

"Don't you ever steal my stuff again" I growled playfully.

"You can't prove anything" said Paul attempting an innocent look. I raised my eyebrow and smirked before leaning down and kissing him deeply before pulling back.

"Well then Mr Lahote, why do you taste like cherry cola?" I asked trying not to laugh at Paul's flustered expression.

"I, err... I was framed?" he suggested, grinning up at me.

"You are a terrible person" I mumbled as I dropped down again to kiss him.

"You know it" he said before reaching up and cupping my cheek.

"Jesus Christ guys! Not in the hallway! I have to walk on that patch of floor" yelled Embry as he burst into the house. I leapt up off Paul, moving faster than ever before. Paul stumbled to his feet, his face flushed bright red.

"Sorry man, we were just messing about" he mumbled.

"It's cool, just, save it for somewhere I don't have to see it" said Embry with a smirk.

I smacked his arm as he pushed past us on his way to the kitchen. Embry was literally the coolest, most laid back brother I could ever wish for.

"We're just going to the beach" I called through to him as I jogged upstairs to change clothes.

I took a seriously speedy shower and changed into some black leggings, a white baggy t shirt and a loose, light grey cardigan. I didn't particularly need the extra layer but I wanted to look nice for Paul so that he would remember this evening. As I walked downstairs I caught the end of the conversation from the kitchen.

"Dude, please, you were practically about to screw my sister" said Embry with a snort.

"No I wasn't! We're not doing any of _that_ until we're both ready" said Paul in an exasperated tone.

"Whatever, but don't come crying to me when you get all frustrated" laughed Embry.

I made my entrance in the kitchen and grinned at the pair of them as they both blushed bright red and refused to meet my gaze.

"Well that was a thrilling conversation" I said kissing Paul's cheek.

"Sorry" he mumbled, wrapping an arm around my waist, "you look hot"

"Don't I always?" I asked with a smirk. Paul grinned back at me and I ran my fingers through the soft, short hair on the back of his neck. I looked up when I heard retching sounds and glared at Embry who was pretending to throw up.

"Get out of this house, you both disgust me" he said in a stupid pompous voice.

I grabbed Paul's hand and dragged him outside, laughing at his embarrassed expression. We walked to the beach and found our little alcove that was shielded by the rocks from both the weather and nosy members of public. We made really rubbish sandcastles and just joked around about stupid things. While Paul tried to sculpt a masterpiece, I studied his face. He was very handsome. Even if I hadn't have been his imprint, I probably would still love him. Once you saw past the tough exterior of hot headed idiot, there was a kind, gentle, cuddly man who would do anything for the people he loved and cared about.

"I give you, Castle Lahote" said Paul proudly, sitting back and gesturing to his partially collapsed pile of sand.

"It's... inspired? But why Castle Lahote? That's a bit vain" I said poking my tongue out and kneeling closer to examine his work of art.

"Because, fair maiden, I am the king of the castle and you are but a serving girl" he said puffing his chest out and staring into the distance.

I took this opportunity to tackle him onto his back. We scuffled in the sand until he had me pinned down, his chest heaving with every breath he took, the warm air fanning across my face.

"I'm not a serving girl" I said stubbornly, trying not to let on just how flustered he was making me.

"You can be my queen then" he breathed, his eyes flickering down to my lips and back up, meeting my gaze.

I don't even remember the next ten minutes. As soon as Paul's lips touched mine, I melted. The world slipped away and it was just the two of us. There were no threats anywhere, no dangers that could tear us apart, just us.

As I said goodnight to him, I kissed him again, pouring in all of my love and fears into that one kiss.

"What was that for?" he asked softly, tucking some loose strands of hair behind my ear.

"Just be careful out there tonight" I whispered, knowing he had patrol.

"I will be" he said kissing my forehead and stepping back, "I love you"

"I love you" I said back, watching as he disappeared into the darkness and whispering after him, "forever"

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><p><em><strong>Friday – 8.57pm<strong>_

I pressed the buzzer on the Cullen mansion and waited nervously for Carlisle to appear.

"Good evening Maiyah" he said pleasantly as he pulled the door open and let me in.

"Hi" I said trying to smile but somehow, forgetting how.

"Well, then, do you want to wait or shall we do this straight away?" he asked.

"Straight away" I replied trying hard to swallow the lump that had risen in my throat.

My mind was a blur of movement and jumbled thoughts, most of them filled with Paul, as Carlisle led me to a room that was so surgical I almost threw up. He offered me a chair which looked like it belonged at the dentist's. I sat down, my hands clenching the arm rests.

"Where are you going to bite?" I asked in little more than a whisper.

"The wrist or upper arm would be best as there is access to an artery" said Carlisle, quietly rolling my sleeve up, "do you have any preference?"

Do I have a preference? If I die it won't even matter. He may as well just cut my heart out and wave it in front of my face. Oh god I've gone mad.

"Wrist" I croaked out, "wait, if I die, can you tell Paul that I love him and that this wasn't his fault? I know he'll try and blame himself somehow. And you have to stop him from trying anything stupid"

"Of course" said Carlisle smiling and squeezing my hand gently, "now this will hurt"

I nodded and turned my head the other way, my eyes tightly shut. I clenched my teeth together but nothing could have prepared me for the indescribably, excruciating pain that I felt as Carlisle's teeth cut through my skin. I screamed so loud, trying to drown out the pain, but it was only getting worse. I felt myself shuddering and jerking, but Carlisle never let go of my arm.

It went on for what felt like hours. The constant burn and searing pain never let up, not once. I felt sweaty and cold. So very cold. My breaths were coming in ragged gasps, my lungs tightening and my chest constricting. My vision was blurry but I could just make out the time, flashing red on a digital clock next to my head. _**4.16am. **_I let the darkness creep up on me as my eyelids drooped.

It must have been my mind playing tricks on me, bringing me the person I loved most in the world, to see him one last time before I slipped away. The shouts got louder, the crashes and curses echoing in my head. I could barely keep my eyes open but a flash of copper skin sparked a trigger in my mind. My forehead felt very warm all of a sudden, then it cooled and the warmth moved to my arms, then my chest before leaving them both and settling in my hands. It was a comforting warmth and it was lulling me to sleep. My last sleep on this earth.

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><p><strong>AN: Ta da! Is that really the end? Am I that cruel? You'll have to wait and see! Well now it's 7.19pm and I've finished the chapter! That's not bad, over 2700 words in 3 hours! If only I could write essays that fast!**

**Also, I must once again express my excitement for the approach of The Hunger Games film! My friend keeps sending me links to the trailers and clips and every time I get more excited! I'm close to having a total spazz out! I loved the books and hope the film is just as good!**

**Anyway! Please review this chapter and make my day a little brighter!**

**-Lem x**


	18. Beat Again

**A/N: Hello folks! I really left you in the lurch last time! I sort of apologise! Well, it wouldn't be fun without a little cliffhanger :P**

Thanks so much to **EvilEyeBeads, CSIGetteBlue, MyAwesomenessIsAwesome, Physcopenguan64, lionandthelamblove7, tanny321, Bookworm6193, 562Babyy **and **Andreagirl1234 **for reviewing the last chapter! You guys are great!

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 18: Beat Again<strong>

**Paul's POV**

Something was wrong, I could feel a burn spreading in my chest and taking over my whole body. I felt like I was being torn in two, with nothing to ease the feeling. I tried not to think the worst, but I knew it was something to do with Maiyah. She must be in trouble or something.

I ran as fast as I could towards her house and pounded my fists against the wooden door. It was as though I was losing her and she was just slipping away. Embry finally opened the door but didn't even have time to say anything before I burst into the house and ran up the stairs. The panic levels were rising further when I saw that her bed hadn't been slept in.

"Where's Maiyah?" I yelled as Embry came into the room.

"I have no idea" he replied quietly.

And that's when I heard it. Her scream. It rang through my head, embedding itself in my memory. It was a scream so full of pain that I wanted to die.

"Did you hear that?" I croaked as I stumbled back towards the stairs.

"Hear what? What the hell is going on? It's 4 o'clock in the morning damn it" demanded Embry as I ripped the front door open. I knew exactly where she was.

"I don't know everything, but I think she's with that leech doctor" I spat as I raced towards the forest.

"I'm coming with you" said Embry in a hard voice, the two of us phasing and sprinting through the dense trees.

_Where are you two going? _Demanded Jake as soon as our minds met.

I let the feelings and pain flow through my mind as well as that earth shattering scream. It silenced both of them. We kept on running, the distance seeming to stretch further than it really was. Seth joined us, his anger at Maiyah's pain joining our minds. We sped across the treaty line, it was useless now, one of them had hurt one of us.

When we reached the leech's house, I was all ready to rush in and just rip his head off, but Jake somehow managed to persuade me to phase back and see if Maiyah was ok before I tore the place to pieces. After we all pulled our shorts on, we charged towards the house and didn't even bother knocking before entering.

"Where is she?" I snarled at the bloodsucker, who only angered me more with his calm expression.

"Maiyah is resting at the moment" he said with a small smile. A smile? What the hell was wrong with this guy?

"Where is she?" I asked again, my hands clenching with anger, tremors rocking through me.

"Follow me" he said before hurrying down one of the hallways.

I nearly phased as soon as I saw her. Maiyah was curled up on her side, looking paler than I'd ever seen her and her heart beat and breathing were off. Too slow but then, too fast. I rushed over to her and felt her forehead. She was burning up, hotter than I'd ever known her to be.

"What's wrong with her?" I whispered, tears pooling in my eyes as I took her hands in mine.

"She asked me to try and get the vampire venom out of her" said Carlisle quietly.

"What? Why didn't you say no?" yelled Embry from behind us.

"She knew what she was doing" said the leech again.

"Did she know she was going to die?" screamed Embry.

"She knew it was a risk" said the doctor calmly.

I stood up and turned on him, dashing away the tears with my hands. Embry was being held back by Jake but Seth was standing there absolutely fuming. I took a step forward and loomed over the leech, growls ripping from inside me.

"You and your kind are always splitting my family up" I snarled, ramming him backwards against a wall, "if she dies, I will kill you and hunt down your family"

"Paul" whispered Seth, I turned to him and he stared at me with wide eyes, "Maiyah"

I span round and felt my heart and stomach drop. Maiyah wasn't breathing. I flew back over to her, panic and anguish coursing through me.

"Maiyah, Maiyah, please don't die on me, please, I love you, please don't leave me" I choked out as I stroked her face, pleading for her not to die.

"Paul, I need you to move so I can help her" my head snapped round as the leech moved towards us, pulling a machine with him.

"No, you're not going to touch her" I growled, pressing myself protectively over Maiyah.

"Paul, let him help her" begged Embry from where he had collapsed on the ground.

I stared at everyone in the room. I couldn't think about anything but keeping Maiyah away from everyone. She was my imprint, she was mine. No one was going to touch her. I growled threateningly as Jake stepped forward, his face hard and blank.

"Paul, come outside with me" he ordered.

I growled and snarled and tried whatever I could to break the alpha order, but I couldn't. I had to leave Maiyah, I was forced away from the girl I loved when I needed to be with her the most.

I wrecked the yard. Threw plant pots everywhere, smashed stupid ornaments, threw rocks through the windows of the house. But I couldn't go back inside. I felt the tremors and shaking overtake me, but then Jake was there, stopping me.

"You will not phase" he ordered.

I gulped and convulsed but no matter how angry I felt, I couldn't phase. I slammed into Jake, knocking him to the ground and baring my teeth, growling like the animal I was. I felt so angry, so hurt and so depressed. What if Maiyah died? I wouldn't be able to go on. I had failed her. I hadn't protected her and now she might die. I rolled off Jake, sobs clawing their way up my throat, my tears soaking the dirt.

"I'm sorry Paul" said Jake quietly, "but she'll need you when Carlisle gets her breathing again"

I couldn't even reply. I was crying too much. It didn't matter that I was a guy, I was going to cry for my imprint. I slammed my fists into the ground and screamed in rage. My mind was a jumble, nothing was making sense any more.

"Paul, Jake, she's back" yelled Seth, sprinting into the yard.

I was on my feet in a second, running towards the house, Jake hot on my heels. I skidded down the hall and flew through the doorway. Maiyah was lying on her back, her chest rising and falling almost normally and best of all, her eyes were open. I rushed over and collapsed onto the stool that was next to the bed.

"Maiyah, you're ok" I breathed, relief flooding through me.

"I'm so sorry" she croaked out, turning onto her side and wrapping her arms around me.

"No baby, it's ok, I don't understand but as long as you're ok then there's nothing to apologise for" I said quickly, holding her close, never wanting to let go.

"I think I should explain properly" said Carlisle in a calm voice. Damn I hated his voice.

I growled but let him continue. He explained how it had been Maiyah's choice and that she knew the risks but that she wanted to do it so that she wouldn't be plagued with the fits for the rest of her life. But what really hit me hard was that she wanted to do it so that she could have a normal life with me. My mind reeled at this information. I stared at Maiyah in shock who had scooted away from me while the explanation had been going on. She looked so scared and fragile.

"You did this for me?" I gasped out, watching as she flinched away from me. Was she scared of me? Did she regret it?

"I just wanted to be perfect for you" she whispered, staring down at her hands.

"Maiyah, you have always been perfect" I said tugging on her arm.

"You're not mad at me?" she asked, curling up against my chest and I could hear the tremble in her voice.

"No, I love you too much for that" I said kissing her forehead, "you just scared me, that's all"

"I want to go home" mumbled Maiyah, her face pressed against my shoulder.

I looked up at the others in the room. Jake had a blank expression, Embry and Seth looked about ready to phase and that leech was just standing there watching me.

"Can we take her home?" I asked in a stiff voice.

"You can, but Maiyah will need a lot of rest. She should be fine by Monday" said Carlisle smoothly.

I didn't need telling twice, I gathered Maiyah up in my arms, ignoring her protests, and rushing away from the stinking house. I felt safer the further away we got and we eventually got back to the Call's house. Maiyah kept dozing off so I carried her straight up to her room. I shut the curtains tight as the sun would soon start rising.

"I'll leave you guys alone" said Embry who looked worn down. I nodded and he left the room.

I curled up on the bed next to Maiyah who had her eyes half open. I laid my arm across her so that if I fell asleep I would know that she would still be there. The fear of losing her had been too real.

"I'm sorry" murmured Maiyah, her voice thick with sleep.

"It's ok, I've got you back now" I whispered pressing my lips to her forehead.

"Now you and me can be together forever" she sighed, her hands pressed against my chest. I felt my heart swell with happiness at the way her mind thought.

"I'll hold you to that" I said with a chuckle.

"I want to get married and have kids and everything" she mumbled, her eyes barely open. My heart started hammering in my chest. She really wanted that? If she did, then that was fine by me.

"One day my beautiful girl, one day" I said sighing contentedly and brushing my fingers along her cheek. I would give this girl my world and more, just so I could see her happy and alive.

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><p><strong>AN: Hey guys! So what did you think? I tried my best but I am slightly disappointed, not going to lie! Oh well! Also I went to see 'We Bought A Zoo' today! It was great :D I love movie Mondays! Next week it's The Hunger Games!**

**Please review! **

**-Lem x**


	19. The Unnatural Supernatural

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry about not updating on Friday. I've had the busiest week ever and then I was at the beach on Friday... it was educational I swear! And it was up to 22 degrees! **

Thanks so much to **PhyscoPenguan64, Andreagirl1234, LadyKatie14, tanny321, , Bookworm6193 **and **562Babyy **for reviewing the last chapter!

**Andreagirl1234 – Thanks for reviewing and your ideas! I think I will introduce the new character in this chapter! I made up a surname, hope that's ok!**

**562Babyy – Thanks for reviewing! I hope you haven't gone crazy! Sorry I couldn't upload on Friday, hope this chapter sort of makes up for it!**

**Also, there were some problems getting onto this chapter when I uploaded it last night, I hope this update of it works!  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 19: The Unnatural Supernatural<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

Two weeks had passed since that fateful day with Carlisle Cullen. I hadn't heard from him since that weekend and Jake had ordered me to tell everyone where I was going at any time of the day. That got old real quick. It was kind of embarrassing when no one was around and I ended up telling Kim and Jared's two year old twins that I needed the loo. Paul kept prodding and poking me constantly just to check that I was still there. He also refused to let go of me. His excuse was that he needed to get used to everything about me.

Ok, let's rewind slightly. Dr. Cullen was successful at getting the vampire venom out, even if it did nearly kill me, so now I'm 100% Quileute and the wolf genes have hit me hard. The first few days were really weird. I had to get used to being even hotter than I used to be. I spent hours laid flat in the garden trying to cool down. I eventually gave up and resigned myself to extreme temperatures.

In other news, Red and Toby still haven't gone back to school. They keep annoying each other and phasing randomly so Jake thinks it's safer to have them home for now. I can kind of see why they don't get on, I mean, Toby's all laid back and relaxed and Red is kind of violent and has a temper. Sometimes I wonder how Toby puts up with me and my temper. On a brighter note, Rachelle got too stressed out without Toby and went to see him and he ended up imprinting on her. Rachelle didn't take the news of phasing very well. I don't think I've ever heard anyone scream that much in my life. But now she's calmed down and managed to accept everything. Also, Amos and Leah are now officially going out. I know I can be mushy with Paul, but Leah makes me sick the way she goes on about Amos.

Gosh, so much can happen in a couple of weeks. And once again, Monday has rolled round and I'm off to school.

It was roasting in school. I had to keep a bottle of water with me just so I didn't pass out. I didn't understand how the rest of the pack cope all the time with being this hot. Paul kept telling me that I would get used to it but I seriously doubted it. I glanced up as Mr Tucker introduced a new student to our class.

"Everyone, this is Andrea Perry. I expect you all to make her feel welcome" said Tucker glaring pointedly at all the troublemakers in the class. Unfortunately I was one of them. I just rolled my eyes and looked over at the new girl. She was pale, like Amos, her long caramel coloured hair fell straight down her back, framing her face which had grey eyes that darted around the room. But what really caught my attention was a scar on her cheek. It looked kind of, I don't know, weird. I don't mean that in a horrible way, there was just something off about it.

"Andrea, you can have the spare seat in front of Amos" said Mr Tucker, pointing to the empty chair.

Andrea nodded and walked quickly over to the desk, sliding into the chair and pulling out a notebook and pen. She looked alright. Well, her clothes weren't outrageous, just a hoodie and a pair of dark blue skinny jeans. I guess she won't be joining the sluts of the school. I raised my eyebrow when she suddenly span round and stared at me. She turned back to the front, her cheeks a bit red. I snorted quietly and shook my head. I glared at Amos as he kicked my leg.

"Be nice" he whispered.

"Right class, project time. I want everyone to pair up" said Mr Tucker.

I immediately turned to Amos with a grin. He grinned back and nodded.

"Miss Call, you will be working with Miss Perry. Mr Grady, you can work with Miss Saunders this time" announced Tucker, making my jaw drop. I gaped at him.

"But Sir, that's not fair" I complained, my fists curling.

"Do you want to pass this year?" asked Tucker with a hard stare, I shrank back into my seat with a huff, "exactly, do as I say then"

I growled quietly at him and folded my arms. It's official. All teachers hate me. I glared at Andrea Perry. She can't just come in here and break up me and my partner in crime. The scraping of chairs drew me from my thoughts and I looked around. Everyone was going to their partner and starting to talk about the work. Andrea had taken the seat in front of me and had turned slightly so that we could discuss the work. Oh joy.

"What's your name?" she asked nervously, my glare and constant growling probably getting to her.

"Maiyah" I ground out, twirling a pen round my fingers.

"Nice to meet you" said Andrea although her body language suggested something completely different, "I guess we better start on this project then"

"Yep" I said, shifting in my chair and turning to a fresh piece of paper as the one that had been in front of me somehow got covered in really bad drawings of Paul and a bunch of wolves.

As much as I tried to dislike Andrea, I couldn't help but smile at some of the comments she made. She was kind of weird, in a good way. I suppose it was wrong of me to be angry with her. I mean, it was Tucker that partnered us together. I grabbed Amos after class and shot Andrea a smile as we left.

"So, how was it? I notice you didn't eat her" snorted Amos, his arm slung around my shoulders.

"She's alright, she's not you, but I can cope" I said picking my way through my bag for a snack.

"Gosh, never realised you were such a people person" laughed Amos, causing me to shove him hard against the lockers.

"You're such a jerk" I huffed, trying to hold back a smile.

We both messed around at our lockers for a little while in between classes. Rachelle was nowhere to be seen. She had disappeared after the bell rang this morning with some weird excuse about talking to her art teacher. She doesn't even do art. I caught sight of the school jocks coming down the corridor and rolled my eyes. They were such idiots. Suddenly Andrea Perry appeared from a side passage and walked into the path of the jocks.

"Watch it, weirdo" yelled one of the boys, shoving Andrea and she fell to the floor, her books scattering across the hall. I growled and rushed over, slamming the boy into a locker.

"Don't touch her" I snarled in his face. His fearful expression only made funnier by the fact that he was shorter than me.

"I'm sorry, I was just messing" he choked out before his eyes darted to where Andrea was sat, "I'm sorry ok?"

"You mess with her again and I'll do more than just shove you" I hissed, releasing him and chuckling as he ran off after his friends who had abandoned him. I love my delightful reputation sometimes.

"Th-thanks" stammered Andrea as I bent down to gather her books.

"You're welcome" I said with a smile before turning slightly, "Amos, get your butt over here and help"

"Yes mother" muttered Amos under his breath as he sauntered over.

"I heard that" I said pushing him over as he bent down to pick up a Maths textbook.

"I really hate your ears" he groaned handing the books to a slightly wary looking Andrea, "sorry, I'm Amos, Maiyah's wingman. Without me, she's nothing"

"Nice to meet you" said Andrea smiling slightly.

"Oh please, he was just the weedy little boy from Maine when I met him. Trust me, you start hanging out with me and I can take you places" I said smacking Amos round the back of the head and laughing as he grumbled.

"Excuse me? I was the weedy one? You were a full on midget" he huffed smacking my arm and hurting himself more than me. Wow, Amos is really trying to make out like I'm a bitch.

"I don't think you're a bitch" said Andrea suddenly. I stared at her in shock. Had I said that out loud?

"That's nice to know" I said cautiously, my eyes narrowing. Andrea's heart was beating rapidly, I could hear it loud and clear in the quiet of the hallway.

"We better get to class" said Amos dragging me by my arm down the corridor.

"See you round, Andrea" I said, following after Amos.

"There's something weird about that girl" I said as we made our way to History, "she seems nice, but I can't put my finger on whatever it is"

"I know what you mean but just forget about her for now" said Amos as he took his seat.

I marched down to the back of the room. Miss Marr, our History teacher, was all for alphabetical seating plans even though we were now in our senior year. I suppose time on my own was good but then I just found my mind wandering to other topics. Mainly Paul, a bit of pack stuff, then straight back to Paul.

* * *

><p>After school, I headed out for patrol. Those vampires had been giving us the slip almost every day and we were all getting more and more frustrated. The weird part was that they never killed anyone, there were never any disappearances, and yet they still returned every day without any clear motive. Now that I was full Quileute again, I could smell the vampires without any problem and it was disgusting. My nose felt like it was literally burning whenever we came across a trail or scent. However, it also meant that Seth didn't have to run with me anymore. It was good in that there was more ground being covered, but I had been with him so long that I felt kind of vulnerable on my own. Not that I'd ever admit that to the pack.<p>

_Ouch, rough day? _Asked Leah as soon as my mind joined hers and I let my emotions run riot.

_Just school. It sucks. And there's a new girl, Andrea Perry, she's kind of freaky, _I said running a new route through the forest.

_Should fit right in with you then, _snorted Leah which made me growl. I was not freaky. Payback time.

_Yeah, well Amos likes her, _I said smugly. I snickered to myself when jealousy filled Leah's mind.

_Maiyah, stop it, _ordered Jake. Damn, I had completely forgotten that I was patrolling with him today.

_Sorry Jake, I was only joking Leah, _I said quickly.

_I hate you sometimes, _growled Leah before she phased out. Woops.

_You were so much easier to handle when you were nine, _groaned Jake although I knew he was just pulling my leg no matter how true his words were.

_You know I'm your favourite, _I thought in a sing song way.

_Don't tell the others, _said Jake in fake hushed tones. Of course he knew that I'd be shouting it out to whoever would listen later. Then I did a double take.

_Jake, I've got one, _I screamed, my senses going into overdrive, my natural instincts to kill taking over as the scent of a vampire hit my nose.

I raced through the trees, pushing my legs faster. And that's when I saw it. A flash of shiny black in the distance. The smell was getting stronger and I pushed forward. I could feel Jake getting closer to where I was and I was grateful. There was no way I could take on a vampire on my own. The scent started to loop back and I changed my course. I was closing the gap. Suddenly I was in a clearing and the vampire was there with me.

My paws dug into the ground to try and stop before I got too close. I could see his cold, red eyes just staring at me. I growled and tried to make myself look bigger and more threatening. The vampire sneered at me and stretched his arms out. I took a step back, unsure of what he was doing.

_Miayah, hold your ground, I'm nearly with you, _said Jake urgently and I could just about hear his pounding steps.

_Shit, Jake, _I screeched as the vampire leapt for me.

It moved fluidly through the air. I had a fraction of a second to react in but I couldn't move. I was completely frozen, fear and panic gripping me. I was pulled out of the momentary paralysis by a searing pain across my back. My hind legs buckled slightly as the weight of the vampire crushed me. A strangled choking sound erupted from me and I moved to attack. I kicked out and felt the weight lift. I span round, ignoring the pain, and lunged for the vampire. I clamped my teeth onto his arm, a scraping metal sound filling the air as I ripped the limb from his body. I was knocked sideways as a cold arm hit the side of my head. I flew across the clearing, howling in pain as my back hit a tree.

A dangerous snarl echoed off the trees as I staggered to my feet and relief flooded through me as I saw Jake standing a few paces from me. He lunged forward and raked his claws across the vampire's torso, Jake's bigger size giving him the advantage. I ran forward and dived in, ripping off the other arm, flinging it to the side and taking a step back before I could be sideswiped again. Jake charged forward and his jaw locked around the vampires throat.

"I'm only the beginning" rasped out the vampire before Jake tore his head off.

Jake quickly phased and pulled a lighter from the folds of his clothes, igniting the remains of the vampire. It was then I felt the pain from my back hit me. I knew we healed quickly, but vampire attacks were different, it took longer. I tried to hold back the whimper but it came out anyway. Jake turned to me, worry in his eyes.

"You ok?" he asked breathlessly.

Damn not being able to talk to him while I'm a wolf.

"Can you phase back? I can get you home a bit easier that way" said Jake running his hand across my face as a comforting gesture.

I whined and focussed all I had on phasing back. It was painful. Very painful. I bit my lip and scrunched my face up to stop the scream that was rising up my throat. I shakily pulled on my shorts but I couldn't move my arms enough to get my t shirt back on. Jake went behind me and I felt his hands touch my back. I winced and clamped a hand over my mouth.

"You'll be fine" said Jake softly, gently pulling my t shirt over my head, "sorry I couldn't get here sooner"

"Jake, you got here. That's all that matters" I said with a small smile.

"Come on, let's get home. Emily can patch you up" said Jake bending down. I climbed onto his back and we set off.

* * *

><p>"Emily, can I get some help?" called out Jake as soon as we reached the house.<p>

I slipped off his back and groaned, stumbling slightly and grabbing onto Jake's arm to stay upright. The pain had decreased slightly but it was burning. Emily appeared in the doorway and immediately dropped the pile of clothes that she had been holding.

"Upstairs bathroom" she ordered.

Jake nodded and helped me upstairs. I sat on the edge of the bath waiting for Emily. I nearly cried when Jenny and Matty ran in and started fretting about me. I was grateful when Sam came in and took them out.

"What happened then?" asked Emily as she dabbed at the single scratch that ran from my right shoulder blade to my waist.

"Vampire" I spat, the memories of his red eyes making me shudder.

"We will get the others soon, don't worry. You were very brave" said Jake, my hand gripping his tightly as Emily pulled out small pieces of bark and stone that had got lodged in the wound.

"Well, you've been very lucky with this. It should be healed by morning" said Emily rubbing antiseptic cream on my back.

"Thanks Emily" I said gratefully.

"No problem sweetheart" she said kissing my forehead and handing me one of her old shirts.

I binned my ruined t shirt and went to the kitchen with Jake. Sam was trying desperately to occupy his children and it was quite sweet to watch.

"Did mummy make you all better?" asked Matty, staring up from his pile of felt tips and paper.

"She sure did little man, you're mummy is the best in the world" I said with a chuckle.

My head whipped round when I heard pounding footsteps. Paul appeared in the doorway, a look of mortification on his face. He crossed the room in three strides and knelt beside me.

"Are you ok?" he asked weakly, his eyes scanning me for any signs of injury.

"It's nothing" I said resting my forehead against his. I felt so much better now that he was around.

"Maiyah was fighting the bad guy" piped up Jenny. Matty looked between Jenny and me before leaning forward.

"And mummy fixed her" he said pointing at my back. Paul's expression dropped, sadness and worry clouding his eyes.

"What did he do to you?" he asked, his hands taking mine and lacing our fingers together.

"It's just a scratch, right Jake?" I said turning to Jake who nodded but gave Paul a look that said it wasn't just a scratch.

"God, I got so scared when Sam called. I got here as fast as I could" sighed Paul leaning forward and kissing me softly.

"I'm glad you're here now" I said quietly, leaning into Paul's embrace.

"I'll stay with you tonight" he whispered kissing my ear and resting his chin on my shoulder.

"Don't leave me" I whispered quieter than ever, squeezing my eyes shut as I hugged him tight, fighting against the tears that threatened to fall.

"Never" said Paul, a one word promise that I would hold him to forever.

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><p><strong>AN: So did that make up for no update on Friday? I hope so because you might have to start waiting longer between updates at times! The amount of work I have on right now is crazy! Anyone want to write 12,000 words on sand dunes for me?**

**Also, I've just seen the Hunger Games. I think my life is complete! It was so brilliant!**

**-Lem x**


	20. Our Time

**A/N: Hello again peoples! Are you still out there? I felt less of the love after the last chapter :(**

Thanks so much to **PhyscoPenguan64, 562Babyy, Bookworm6193,** **Andreagirl1234 **and **tanny321 **for reviewing the last chapter!

**562Babyy – Haha thanks for the review! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Andreagirl1234 – Glad you liked it! I have a great way of tying her into the main plot which I hope you will enjoy! Haha the platypus! Gosh!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 20: Our Time<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

The rest of the week passed slowly. I didn't see much of Andrea, apparently her parents were sorting something out at home and needed her help. I don't know why, but I felt a little sad that I wouldn't get to hang out with her. I guess she made more of an impression on me than I thought.

Paul was also constantly round at my house which I didn't mind at all. I was going to his for the weekend. Embry wanted Sadie over at ours, he was going to tell her all about phasing and the imprint and didn't want anyone bothering him. I just hoped she would take it better than Rachelle had when Toby told her. So that meant a whole weekend alone with Paul.

"No funny business when you're with Paul" said Embry sternly as I packed my rucksack on Saturday morning.

"Who do you think I am?" I snorted, a smirk on my face.

"I know exactly who you are" said Embry giving me a pointed stare. I rolled my eyes and pulled my bag over my shoulder.

"See you tomorrow night Embry" I laughed, running outside and flinging myself into the driver's seat.

As soon as I got to Paul's, I cut the engine and raced to the front door. I would have burst through it but Paul beat me to it and I just crashed against his chest. I didn't even bother with a greeting, just reached up and pressed my lips against his. With all the vampires running about and giving us the slip, we had all been too busy just to enjoy ourselves.

"Well someone's happy to see me" chuckled Paul as he pulled me inside.

"You have no idea" I groaned, clutching his hand in mine.

"Well, we have all weekend and I intend to make the most of it" said Paul wiggling his eyebrows. I laughed and smacked his arm.

"So what do you have planned, Mr. Lahote?" I asked, flopping down on the sofa and pulling him practically on top of me.

"Well, Miss Call, I don't think you've been paying enough attention to your caring, loving, exceedingly good looking soul mate" sighed Paul sticking his legs over the armrest and laying his head in my lap. I ran my fingers through his soft hair, our gazes locked with each other.

"You are kind of fit I suppose" I mused, a smile growing on my face. I bit my lip to stop from bursting out laughing at his expression.

"Kind of fit? I'm well fit! You need to get better taste in men if you think like that" huffed Paul, taking my hands and lacing our fingers together.

"Ok, I'll get rid of you and go stalk after Seth. He's a very good looking guy" I said nonchalantly. The responding growl was instantaneous.

"I'll rip his head off" he growled, his hands tightening around mine.

"No you won't" I said softly, leaning down and kissing him, "you're the only one I'll ever want"

Paul responded with a soft growl, his hand releasing mine and snaking round my neck, holding me in place. The kiss was slow and full of love. We hadn't kissed properly like this for a while and I could just feel myself melting into him. Paul flipped us so that he's hovering above me, our lips still attacking each other. I felt a warmth that I had not felt before, spread through me. I suddenly wanted more.

I pulled away with a look of horror most likely on my face. Paul stared back at me, panting, a confused and slightly hurt look on his face. I swallowed and scooted out from under him.

"What's wrong?" asked Paul his expression saddening by the second.

"Nothing, I err... I need the loo" I said before sprinting off upstairs

I slammed the bathroom door shut behind me and flicked the lock on, leaning my back against the door. I didn't hear any movement for a moment but then I heard Paul's heavy tread making its way upstairs. My heart was beating wildly. I couldn't believe the way my body had responded to that kiss.

"Maiyah? Are you ok?" asked Paul softly from the other side of the door. I'm fine, right?

"Yeah" I said in a shaky voice. Well way to be obvious. And cue the pause.

"Can you let me in?" said Paul quietly.

Do I let him in? Then he'd find out that I basically wanted to jump him. That would be very embarrassing. But then if I didn't let him in, he might get angry and just break down the door making him more angry than before.

I slowly slid back the lock and stepped to the side so that my back was against the wall instead of the door. Paul slowly pushed open the door and I looked up at him through my eyelashes. His hair was ruffled from before and I felt my cheeks heat up at the thoughts that ran through my head.

"You going to stand in here all day?" asked Paul softly, his hand cupping my cheek.

I shook my head and sighed as Paul pulled me against him, tucking me under his arm and leading me out of the bathroom and back downstairs. He sat on the sofa and I curled up against him, hiding my face in his chest.

"Want to tell me what's bothering you?" he asked, his arms wrapping tightly around me.

"I was... I was just having bad... thoughts" I mumbled, trying to find the right words to express myself.

"Bad thoughts? Like what?" asked Paul in a confused voice.

"I don't want to say it" I mumbled, my cheeks on fire at the thought of having to say it out loud.

Paul took a moment to put two and two together. He came out with four straight away.

"Oh" was all he said in a voice of surprise.

"Yeah" I whispered peeking at his face and finding a grin plastered across it, "what?"

"Maybe later" he said with a chuckle and a very cheeky wink.

I felt a smile stretch across my own face despite my extreme embarrassment at the situation.

"Now come on, let's play some Mario Karts. I haven't had anyone to thrash for ages" said Paul stretching his arms up and cracking his knuckles.

"You won't beat me. You cheated so much the last time" I protested, leaping from the couch to plug in Paul's game console.

"Hardly. You are just a sore loser" laughed Paul pulling me back to the sofa and flicking through the menu options, "you Yoshi again?"

"Of course" I scoffed.

"Alright, let's do this thing" cried Paul like an idiot.

It was fun, really fun, but let's just say Paul ended up at a disadvantage during the last few races where I just sat on his stomach after wrestling him onto the floor. That's what I always loved about playing games with Paul, he never played by the rules. I guess I just grew up trying to be like Paul and he ended up teaching me a few dodgy tactics.

"Why do I even bother playing with you?" grumbled Paul as he struggled up and flung his remote on the sofa on his way to the kitchen.

"Because I'm the only one who will play it with you anymore? Or perhaps you just enjoy being beaten by a girl?" I said in a mocking voice, dancing after him.

"I can ship you off somewhere else you know. I'm sure Billy would just love to babysit you" said Paul with a smirk. I gasped in horror.

"You wouldn't do that" I said, clutching at my heart.

"I might do" said Paul laughing manically. I shoved him against the counter and started raiding the cupboards.

"Well I would just tell him what a sore loser you are and he would tell you to man up" I said with a smirk. Paul huffed and folded his arms.

"You are one evil girl" he said pinching a crisp from the packet I had just opened.

"Yep" I happily agreed and carried on munching on my food.

The rest of the day was really fun. I realised how much I had just missed hanging out with Paul. We did all sorts of things like seeing who could make the best sandwich, doing an old paint by numbers set that Sam and Emily had given to me on my tenth birthday, and we even ended up wrestling in his back yard.

We decided to make just a basic pasta with tomato sauce for dinner. I poked fun at Paul the whole time he was chopping onions because he had tears streaming down his face. We even got into singing the old songs from off the radio.

"_Some people don't believe, but I was born a champion_" I belted out as I stirred the simmering sauce.

"Bit self centred don't you think?" snorted Paul as he wiped his eyes again.

"You're just jealous because you have to wait your turn to be a champion" I said sticking my tongue out as the song ended. Paul rolled his eyes and started buttering some bread rolls. He began humming along to the next song and shifted until he was right next to me, singing huskily in my ear.

"_She's the kind of girl boys read about in magazines, glossy magazines, she is the only one I think about, leading lady in my dreams, yeah I have waited so long to gather up my courage, she has got me love drunk, fumbling my words, times running out gotta do it now, she's the one I cannot live without_" he sang, his arms round my waist, his chest flush against my back. I felt my cheeks heat up again.

"Well then, I'll just have to go and find your 'leading lady' and punch her lights out" I said with a laugh.

"You can't punch yourself in the face" said Paul in mock horror.

"Yeah, well, _you only get one shot so make it count, you might never get this moment again, the clock is ticking down, it's the final round, so tell me what it is that's stopping you now, you'll never know, unless you try, you'll only regret, sit and wonder at night, you only get one shot, so watch this moment go by, when love's on the line_" I sang softly back at him as the chorus kicked in.

"I won't let any moment with you pass us by" whispered Paul, kissing my ear and jaw. I sighed and leaned against him, my heart thrumming contentedly.

"I love you, Paul" I said with a happy smile on my face.

"I love you too, more than any song could possibly begin to tell you" said Paul continuing to kiss my cheek, jaw, ear, anywhere he could reach.

"You know, you're very distracting while I'm trying to cook" I said with half hearted scolding.

"Maybe I'm trying to distract you" said Paul seductively, sending a warm shiver down my spine.

"Dinner... food... eating" I mumbled unintelligently as Paul continued to attack me with his lips which made him chuckle.

"Ok, we can eat first" he said pulling away slightly but never letting go of me.

Dinner was a very hurried occasion. I made the mistake of sitting right next to Paul which meant that my heart was constantly pounding and he kept brushing his hand 'accidentally' against my leg or hand. Yeah, very accidental, I don't think, Mr Smooth. We left the pots in the sink and then both practically pounced on each other, the tension in the room finally snapping as we gave into each other. Paul managed to walk backwards up the stairs while at the same time, never letting go of me. We stumbled into his room and I shut the door. This was private and a night that I would never forget.

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><p>The next morning I woke up in a daze. I had a smile plastered across my face that I just couldn't get rid of and I felt like I was buzzing. Paul was still asleep, a look of complete innocent bliss on his face. I curled onto my side, his arm still draped across my waist, and just lay staring at him. After a few minutes, he started to stir, his eyes slowly prised open and he smiled softly.<p>

"Morning" he said in a sleepy voice.

"Morning" I whispered, biting my lip. Paul smiled some more and pulled me closer, tucking me under his chin.

"How did you sleep?" he asked, his chest rumbling as he spoke.

"Perfectly, you?" I said tracing little patterns on his chest with my fingers.

"Best sleep ever" he sighed, pulling me ever closer to him.

The morning was spent clearing up our mess from the night before. We had somehow managed to smash a glass without either of us noticing so that was fun to clear up.

At around midday, there was a knock at the door. Paul pulled himself off the sofa to go and answer and I leant back, closing my eyes and smiling at the memories of last night. I jolted up when I heard Paul's tone of voice.

"Get the hell out of here" he hissed. I took a nervous step forward. I didn't know of any enemies that he had.

I poked my head round the doorframe and stared at the boy in the doorway. He looked really familiar but I couldn't think why. His hair was shaggy, almost chin length and matted with mud. He was very thin, muscles randomly clinging to his arms and legs, but it was his eyes that got me. They looked dead, haunted and that scared me. I shuffled to behind Paul who held his arm around me protectively.

"I just need to talk" said the boy in a creepy monotone voice.

"You don't talk to anyone on this reservation. You were banished" snarled Paul and I could feel him shaking slightly.

Then everything hit me. Brady. This haunted boy was Brady Fuller. My one time imprinter and the catalyst to my supernatural life. Memories of him following me around at Sam's when I was little, raced through my head. I gasped and clutched tighter to Paul.

"Brady, get out of here now" growled Paul, his tremors getting more violent.

I could feel my breathing getting faster and then Brady turned to look directly at me. His gaze held mine and I felt sick. He was looking right through me but then, not. Panic rose within me.

"Hello Maiyah" said Brady, his voice hollow and empty.

I didn't respond. My body was frozen. I couldn't move.

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><p><strong>AN: Yes, it's extraordinarily late and it's Saturday and 2:35am when I finish this! So, sorry! Hope you all liked it!**

**Also the songs I used are:**

**Champion- Chipmunk feat. Chris Brown**

**One Shot- JLS  
><strong>

**Please review? I wasn't feeling the love after last chapter.**

**IMPORTANT NOTE THING: the last two times I have updated, there have been a load of problems with people reading the chapters. That annoying 'outdated URL/15minute wait' message keeps appearing instead of the chapter... RAGE! I just hope people keep reading!  
><strong>

**-Lem x**


	21. Brady's Warning

**A/N: Hi! So those of you who reviewed got a tiny sneak peek of the start of this chapter which I hope you enjoyed! You can all offer your thanks to tanny321 for that!**

Thanks very much to **tanny321, MyAwesomenessIsAwesome, PhyscoPenguan64, Bookworm6193, Andreagirl1234, Neejaloveslife,** **562Babyy **and **Cia-marie **for reviewing the last chapter.

**Also, there was a teensy bit of confusion about the whole Brady thing! I do apologise! In the prequel to this story Brady half imprinted on Maiyah when she was 8 but the imprint was broken when he took her to Carlisle and made him change her. Brady was then banished from the pack by Sam. Hope this clears some things up!**

**Andreagirl1234 – Thanks for reviewing! Ooo I might use that as a nickname!**

**562Babyy – Thanks for reviewing! Haha yes they did! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 21: Brady's Warning<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

"Maiyah, go back inside now. Call Jake or Sam" growled Paul, his shaking only getting worse.

I didn't question him, just ran deeper into the house, my heart beating faster than ever before. I grabbed a phone and locked myself in Paul's room, pacing furiously across the carpet as I punched the numbers in. I listened to the dialling tone and it just seemed to go on and on. Finally there was an answer.

"Hello?" came Emily's cheery voice.

"Sam, I need Sam" I gasped out, my clammy hands slipping slightly on the phone.

"Maiyah? I'll just get him" said Emily, her tone suddenly sharp and alert.

I spent the next few seconds trying to control my breathing and listening to Paul growling at Brady. I nearly jumped when I heard Sam talking to me.

"Maiyah, what's happened?" he asked in an authoritative voice.

"Brady's here, he's at Paul's house" I whispered into the receiver.

"What?" roared Sam, making me flinch, "right, Maiyah, stay on the phone to me. I'll get Emily to call Jake and the others. What's the situation at the moment?"

"He's at the front door. Paul keeps telling him to go but he won't" I said feeling the panic of the situation bubbling up.

"Ok, well Paul can handle him I'm sure. You're going to be fine" said Sam, his voice commanding and calming. He would always be my first alpha and I would listen to him no matter what.

"Sam, are you going to come round?" I asked nervously. I would feel safer with him here.

"Yes, as soon as I know that Jake is on his way" replied Sam and I immediately felt a little better.

I yelped when I heard an angry roar from downstairs and the ripping sound of clothes. The door shook in its frame as I heard the clashing snap of jaws and claws. Paul and Brady were fighting.

I should go down and help. I knew Paul was strong but I had no idea about Brady. He hadn't looked as tall as Paul, but I hadn't seen him for years. I whimpered pathetically as I heard another crash.

"Maiyah, you still with me?" came Sam's voice from the speaker. I quickly pulled the phone back to my ear.

"Yeah" I whispered, my heart hammering.

"Jake's on his way, give it two minutes and he'll be with you. I'm going to set off now. Will you be ok?" said Sam.

"I'll be ok" I said in a shaky voice. I would be ok. Jake was only going to be a couple of minutes. It would be fine.

I hung up the phone and sat with my back against the door. I felt useless. The fight was still going on downstairs and from the sounds of it, they were in the backyard. I screamed when there was a loud pounding on the bedroom door.

"Maiyah, open up" yelled Sam.

I scrambled up and flung the door open. He immediately pulled me into a hug as I shook like a leaf. I followed him downstairs and was relieved to see that Jake had pinned down Brady, both in their wolf forms. Paul looked unharmed and phased back immediately when he saw me. I didn't care that he was butt naked, I threw myself at him and wrapped my arms tightly round his neck.

"You ok?" he asked breathlessly. I nodded and let go of him.

Jake slowly released Brady and they both phased back, Sam throwing a pair of cut offs to both Brady and Paul. The tension in the air was thick. Brady still had a dead, eerie look about him that really made me feel on edge.

"What are you doing here, Brady?" demanded Jake, his tone hard.

"I came to apologise for everything" he said in monotone.

"Speak quickly" growled Paul, his arms around my waist. Sam and Jake shot Paul a look before turning their attention back to the now very calm Brady.

"I'm sorry for taking the wrongful decision to take Maiyah to Carlisle. I'm sorry that you had to suffer as part vampire and wolf. I'm sorry for abandoning you when you needed help. I'm just sorry" said Brady, a weird expression of half blank, half remorseful, showing on his face.

There was an awkward pause. I didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry Sam, for betraying the pack and your trust" continued Brady. Sam shifted nervously from foot to foot.

"You were wrong, but you seem remorseful" he said cautiously.

Brady nodded, his hollow eyes trained on Sam. The two stepped towards each other and shook hands. Then Brady turned his eyes on me.

"Am I forgiven?" he asked, yet not a single emotion crossed his face. I was starting to get seriously freaked out by him.

"Yeah, I guess" I said shakily, subconsciously curling back into Paul as Brady stepped towards me.

Brady held out his hand and I stared at it for a moment before shaking it. He almost smiled and I jerked my hand back.

"I hope you are happy together" he said addressing both Paul and I. I didn't really know what to do but I felt Paul nod.

It was a very awkward afternoon. We sat in Paul's kitchen trying to make conversation but with Brady being all weird and spaced out, it was a bit difficult. Collin came speeding into the house at one point. He and Brady used to be like brothers but something had definitely changed. Towards the evening Brady said he had to leave. Then it got really creepy.

"They'll be here soon" he said as he stood on the porch with his back to us, "you better watch out"

Then he ran. He ran so fast. Jake took off after him but couldn't keep up and dropped back. I felt my heart leap into my throat.

"We should have killed him while we had the chance" growled Paul.

"Paul, we don't know what he was talking about" said Sam, his authority showing through the situation.

"He's clearly got it in for us" cried Paul, tremors shaking him. I turned and tried to calm him down.

"No, we'll be fine, won't we? Sam?" I asked trying to calm my own nerves.

"Of course we'll be fine" said Sam with a tight smile, "come on, why don't we all head over to mine"

"Come on Paul" I said tugging on his hand.

Sam had driven over as it was his fastest mode of transport so we caught a ride back with him. On the way, I caught sight of Andrea Perry. She looked kind of distressed and she was alone.

"Sam, pull over for a second" I said already unbuckling my belt.

I leapt from the car and hurried over to Andrea who flinched away from me.

"Woah, sorry" I said backing up slightly. Andrea's expression was fearful.

"Sorry" she said trying to straighten out her features.

"You alright?" I asked cautiously.

"Yeah fine" said Andrea, her eyes suddenly snapping to the car behind me, "who's that?"

I turned and saw what she was looking at. Paul was half out of the passenger seat while Sam kept a restraining hand on his arm.

"Oh, that's Sam driving and Paul, he's my err... boyfriend?" I said as a question.

"He's nice" said Andrea who suddenly burst out laughing. I looked at her in surprise. She best not be insulting my man.

"Paul's great he-"

"Chill, I didn't mean to be rude" said Andrea with a smile.

We stood awkwardly for a moment before I heard a low warning growl coming from Paul. I rolled my eyes and returned the growl.

"Want to join us? You can get to know some more people" I offered pointing my thumb back to where the car was and Paul was now standing. Andrea looked surprised that I had asked her but smiled and nodded.

"So, Andrea Perry, what brings you to these parts?" I asked as we walked to the car.

"Oh, nothing much, fresh start and all that" she said with a small nervous laugh.

"Hmm" I said scrutinising her closely, "Andrea Perry is too much of a mouthful. How about I just call you Perry for short?"

"Yeah, that's cool. I've never really had much of a nickname before" she said with a grin as we reached the car.

"Cool, well guys this is Andrea Perry but you can just call her Perry, courtesy of moi. She's new round here and she's coming with us" I said leaping back into the car.

"Hi there" said Perry blushing slightly when Paul and Sam both turned to look at her.

"Hello, nice to meet you. I'm Sam, this is-"

"Paul, Maiyah told me" said Perry and I smirked at Paul.

"Well, let's go then" I said shaking the back of Sam's chair.

The drive back was good except Perry was slightly freaky at times, randomly bursting out laughing or snorting. Paul gave me the raised eyebrow and I just very maturely stuck my tongue out which made him laugh too. Then he wiggled his eyebrows and smirked in that annoyingly seductive way that just brought thoughts of last night flooding back which of course made me blush furiously.

"Oh Christ" yelped Perry staring at me in horror. I gaped at her.

"Err, yes?" I said feeling completely confused.

"Nothing I just umm, well, never mind" she said turning to look out of the window.

I turned to Paul and shrugged. He just snorted and shook his head. I was kind of grateful when we pulled up at Sam's. I immediately leapt out and punched Paul in the arm for making me think about last night while we were with people. Sam just rolled his eyes and went in to find Emily. I turned to see Perry waiting nervously by the car.

"Come on then, we don't bite" I said with a smirk.

Me and Paul took the lead and she eventually followed us into the rowdy house. Apparently the entire pack had gathered here after news of Brady returning and giving us his creepy warning got out. I caught sight of Embry who was scanning the room nervously. As soon as he saw me he leapt across the room and grabbed me in a hug.

"Oh thank god you're alright" he said in a clearly relieved tone. I hugged him back and sighed.

"Yeah, I'm ok now" I said and we finally let go of each other.

"When Emily rang me, well, I thought the worst" he said running his hand down my face.

"Sorry, I was just a bit frightened" I admitted quietly, my gaze dropping to the floor. Embry wrapped my in another hug.

"It's ok sis" he said before pulling me to a couch.

"Oh, guys, this is Andrea Perry, call her Perry, Andrea, a name, but yeah, she's new" I said waving at Perry who was standing in the doorway.

A chorus of hello's sounding round the room which brought Emily and the kids bustling into the room. Matty and Jenny flew at me and I was swamped as they both clambered onto my lap.

"Hey guys" I laughed trying to extract myself so that I could get to Emily.

"Oh Maiyah, I'm so glad you and Paul are both ok" she said before pulling me into a hug.

"Yeah, just glad Jake and Sam got there in time" I said with a smile, "oh and Emily, this is Andrea Perry"

"Oh hi, you're very welcome" said Emily bustling over to a startled looking Perry.

"Nice to meet you all" she said gazing round the suddenly quiet room.

I scanned the room and found the source of the sudden silence. Red was staring at Perry like he had just seen the sun. His features were slack, the usually hard look gone, replaced with a look of pure adoration. Perry noticed him and went bright red, her eyes flitting nervously round the room. Red got to his feet, stumbling over outstretched legs in his determination to reach Perry.

"Hello" he breathed brushing his floppy hair out of his eyes.

"Hi" said Perry with an even deeper blush on her pale skin.

"Come on guys, this could get X-rated" said Quil leaping up and rushing into the kitchen.

The rest of us followed and fought our way to the table where an untouched pile of cookies had been left. I fought Seth over the last Smartie cookie and pouted when I didn't get it. Paul was immediately in front of Seth, growling and looking very menacing. Miraculously, I got the cookie back and happily ate it, giving small pieces to Jenny who had taken up residence next to me. Then I turned my attention to Sadie and Embry who were standing over by the sink.

"So, good weekend?" I asked trying not to give anything away in case Embry had bottled it and not told her about the pack.

"Yeah it was good" said Sadie with a smile, "Embry told me everything"

"About time" I said with a snort, shaking my head and leaning back against Paul who kissed the top of my head.

"How about you? Apart from today I mean" said Embry even though he was slightly distracted by Sadie's hair.

"Best weekend ever" I said with a grin and Paul snorted. There was a pause and I turned to Embry who was opening and closing his mouth like a fish, his face changing from brown to red to purple and back again.

"Please tell me you guys didn't do what I think you did?" he spluttered, Sadie rubbing his shoulder a look of confusion on her face.

"Oh come on man, you knew it would happen at some point" said Paul, his arms tight around my waist.

"She's my sister. You slept with my sister" yelled Embry.

"Yeah, and thanks for telling everyone in the whole house" I said with a scowl, "you were fine with it the other week"

"Yeah, I was being hypothetical. I didn't mean for you guys to actually rush out and do it" he said, his breathing very fast.

"Just calm down. It was my choice, he didn't pressure me or anything, just leave it" I said in exasperation. Way to ruin my first time brother.

"What's wrong with you guys sleeping together? I sleep with mummy and daddy all the time" said Jenny curiously. I shared a look with Paul and burst out laughing.

"There's nothing wrong with it, Embry's just being a bit silly" I whispered loudly in Jenny's ear.

"Stop being mean Uncle Embry. Maiyah and Uncle Paul can sleep together all the time" said Jenny seriously.

I swear the whole state could hear the laughter that erupted in the kitchen at that moment. There's nothing quite like the innocent mind of a child. Embry blushed and started cursing quietly under his breath. As we all settled down and started chatting normally, I felt a wave of tiredness wash over me, probably from the stress of the day, and rested my head on Paul's shoulder. I felt myself drifting off to sleep, visions and echoes of what Brady had said bouncing around in my head. I didn't like the tone of his words. He knew something bad was coming and it wasn't going to be good.

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><p><strong>AN: So there we go :) I'm not entirely convinced I like this chapter but I'm really tired! Also, there won't be an update on Friday or next Monday because I'm going home for Easter weekend and I'm not taking my laptop. Don't be too sad!**

**Please review!**

**-Lem x**


	22. The Tale of Andrea Perry

**A/N: Hey guys! Hope you didn't miss me too much! Word of warning, I won't update again for a while. I need to take a break from stories and concentrate on my work for a little while. Give me 2/3 weeks and then I can concentrate fully for maybe a week then I have my final ever exams. On the 21st May it'll all be over and I can write these stories (yes, all of them) properly!**

Thanks to **LadyKatie14, PhyscoPenguan64, Bookworm6193, 562Babyy, Andreagirl1234, tanny321 **and **Neejaloveslife **for reviewing the last chapter! Sorry you had to wait!

**562Babyy – Love your little descriptions! Don't get too mad at the coming breaks I'm taking!**

**Andreagirl1234 – Hope you had a good Easter too! I have a little plan for Andrea, it will probably appear in this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 22: The Tale of Andrea Perry<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

"Paul, stop it" I hissed for the millionth time.

"I can't help it, I'm losing my lifelong friend" he moaned dramatically, a fake sob escaping his lips.

"Oh for crying out loud, you are not losing a lifelong friend you complete pansy" I said, flinging my arms into the air.

"I am, you don't understand" he wailed, stroking my hair like it was a cat. I span round and prodded him in the chest.

"Listen here Lahote, it's being cut off whether you like it or not. You agreed to it so no going back on your promise" I growled, trying not to get too distracted by his adorable pout.

"Someone's being a naughty boy, are they?" chuckled a fellow shopper as they strolled past us.

"That's not fair" whined Paul stamping his foot and grabbing my hands while he glared at the shopper who had spoken.

"You made a promise, you keep it" I said firmly before spinning back around and marching down the aisle, grabbing a bag of chocolate buttons as I went. Paul would need brining eventually. I heard his quick footsteps coming up behind me and sighed as his arms made their way around my waist.

"Ok, I'll keep my promise, you can cut your hair" he said softly in my ear as we waited in the queue but I could hear a hint of mischief in his tone, "but you have to keep your promise"

"I already did, I showed you the damn tattoo" I exclaimed, leaning my head back and staring up at him.

"Nuh uh, you promised something else" he said with a smirk, his eyes twinkling in an evil mastermind sort of way. My eyes widened in horror as I remembered the promise I had made.

"No, you said I didn't have to" I said, turning round completely in his arms.

"Please, you promised" he said with a pout, "I'll come with you"

"Oh, I bet you will" I said scowling and smacking my forehead against his chest, "I really hate you"

"I know you do" laughed Paul, pushing me forward as the queue moved.

I scowled at him one last time before turning and smiling brightly at the shop assistant who was giving the pair of us a funny look. I tried to act all happy but inside I wanted to rip her eyes out. She couldn't stop staring at Paul and there was practically drool hanging out of her mouth. Stupid cow. I grabbed the chocolate buttons and marched from the shop, dragging a chuckling Paul after me.

"Is somebody a little bit jealous?" said Paul climbing into the truck behind me.

"No" I said stubbornly, flinging the buttons at him and staring out of the opposite window.

"Awh come on baby, you know you're the only girl for me" said Paul scooting over to me and wrapping himself around me possessively.

"She was practically undressing you with her eyes" I moaned, jealousy practically shining off me.

"Yeah but she can't really undress me and you can, only you" he murmured softly in my ear. I felt my heart skip a couple of beats as his warm breath tickled my neck.

"Promise?" I mumbled like a child, staring up at him as my hands grabbed fistfuls of his t shirt.

"I promise" he whispered before softly pressing his lips to mine. I sighed and pulled back, breathing in as much of his scent as possible.

"We have to go to Leah's now" I said pushing him lightly. His pout immediately shot back into place.

"I can't believe you're doing this" he grumbled as he started the engine. I smiled and curled against his side. Not the safest thing to do while he was driving, but I didn't really care.

An hour and a half later, we both emerged from Leah's house, me grinning like a maniac and Paul looking like he wanted to cry. Leah followed us out trying and failing to keep her laughter under wraps.

"Lighten up Paul" she said with a choke of laughter. Paul span round and glared at her.

"You've just cut my imprint's hair off" he growled and I noticed his hands balling into fists. I quickly wrapped my arms round his chest from behind.

"Don't get mad at Leah, please Paul. I wanted to do this. I'll grow it back out when the vampires are gone" I said, pleading with him. He shuddered against my hold for a second before he relaxed and hung his head slightly.

"Ok" he said in a defeated voice.

I smiled and gave him a squeeze. Paul was just as stubborn, if not more, as I was. I smiled over his shoulder at Leah and mouthed a thankyou before pulling my sulking imprint over to the truck. I climbed in and studied my reflection in the rear view mirror. Leah had cut my hair into a shorter bob than she had before so it was just down to my hairline but I could still tuck it behind my ears.

"It looks nice" said Paul gruffly as he climbed in the driver's side.

"Thanks" I said beaming and leaning across to kiss him, "and I promise to go skinny dipping soon"

"Really?" asked Paul suddenly seeming very perky. I laughed and smacked his shoulder.

"Yes, really. A promise is a promise" I said blushing slightly at his suddenly mischievous grin.

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><p>And that's how I found myself stark naked in the freezing cold ocean at midnight, Paul standing on the shoreline absolutely cracking up. I growled and swam back to the beach before rushing out of the water and leaping on his back which sent him tumbling into the cold shallows. He let out a yelp of surprise and rolled into an oncoming wave.<p>

"That's so totally not fair" he whined, crawling out of the path of the next wave.

"I said I would go skinny dipping, I never said I would play fair" I laughed, clutching my sides and lying down in the shallow water, tears streaming from my eyes.

"You little minx" Paul growled, dropping onto all fours, his hands either side of my head, his knees by my hips. I felt the laughter die in my throat as I looked up at him and he leaned down to me. Well that was just my undoing and I found myself doing something I had never, ever thought about doing in my life. Make love with Paul Lahote on a public beach.

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><p>The next day at school, people kept staring at me and I heard all their whispers about my hair. I smiled smugly when I heard a few freshmen talking about getting theirs cut short too. <em>Teenagers, <em>I thought with a sigh. Luckily I bumped into Rachelle and found a distraction from all the whispers.

"Hey, do you mind if we go and find Perry?" I asked as I leant against the locker next to Rachelle's. She stopped what she was doing and looked up at me.

"Perry? Who's Perry?" she asked with a quizzical expression.

"Andrea Perry, the new girl. I kind of nicknamed her Perry the other day" I said with a shrug.

"Sure, I suppose" said Rachelle who looked slightly wary. I rolled my eyes and flung my arm round her shoulders as she slammed her locker door.

"I'm not going to ditch you for her" I said as we walked along the corridor.

"You best not, you freaky mutant girl" said Rachelle poking me in the ribs. I laughed and ruffled her hair which made her squeak.

We searched all of our usual haunts but couldn't find Perry anywhere. I guess we would just have to branch out and go to parts of the school that were almost alien to us. We sauntered along the music corridor and I started humming along to a tune that I could hear coming from one of the practice rooms. I peered in through the window and my jaw dropped. It was Andrea Perry playing the tune on her violin.

Rachelle jostled me to try and look through the window herself and from the way Perry's shoulders hunched, she knew we were already outside. I pushed Rachelle away from me and quietly opened the door. Perry immediately stopped playing and turned to look at us, a small smile on her face.

"Oh, you don't have to stop" I said taking a seat on a table.

"Nah, it's ok. I'm done with practice now anyway" she said opening her violin case and carefully placing the instrument in before loosening the bow and placing that in as well.

"You're really good" I said, mentally facepalming myself for sounding so shocked. Perry snorted quietly and shook her head.

"I like to play" she said with a shrug.

"I can play an instrument too" piped up Rachelle and I raised an eyebrow at her, memories of our music lessons in lower years flooding back to me.

"You played the triangle every lesson" I said laughing and shoving her lightly.

I looked up at Perry who was quite clearly trying to hold in her laughter. Rachelle huffed and folded her arms. I rolled my eyes and looked down at her.

"Hey Rachelle, you know today's the day Toby comes back" I said wiggling my eyebrows at her.

"Oh hell yes, I am off. See you later guys" she called as she swiftly exited the room.

"Red's back too isn't he?" asked Perry quietly, her cheeks flushing pink. I grinned and nodded enthusiastically.

"Why yes he is, any reason you ask?" I asked with a smirk. I knew full well about Red imprinting on Perry but he hadn't told her anything about us being wolves so I had to kind of keep quiet. Perry just stared at me, her pale skin losing all colour.

"Just... just wondering" she mumbled turning back to her violin case and making sure everything was packed perfectly. We stayed silent for a while and I bit my lip to stop from just blurting out everything that I wanted to ask her at once.

"Can we talk at lunch?" I asked finally. She didn't look up, just froze.

"Yeah, I can meet you in here if you like?" she said after a pause.

"That's fine, it's more... private" I said leaping down from the table and holding the door open, "come on, I'll wait with you while you put that away then we can go to Geography together"

"Err... I can go on my own" she mumbled scooting past me.

"Aw come on, I don't bite" I said, grinning as an image of me biting every member of the pack at least once popped into my head. Perry seemed to hurry down the corridor.

"Ok, just wait here, I'll be right back" she said nervously before hurrying into the music cupboard where she could store her violin.

We walked to class in silence and I couldn't stop my mind wondering to thoughts of Paul which meant I ended up grinning like a lunatic. Perry must think I'm a complete idiot.

Lunch finally dragged round and I quickly grabbed my bag before heading off to the music rooms. I was pleased to see Perry already waiting, her eyes flitting nervously up and down the corridor. I grinned when I reached her and pushed open the door to the practice room. Perry followed me in and we sat on tables opposite each other.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush with this, I have some questions and I would really like it if you answered truthfully" I said smiling as kindly as I could manage. Perry seemed to gulp nervously.

"Y-yeah I can do that" she mumbled, staring down at the ground. I took a deep breath before starting the questioning.

"Have you ever met someone called Brady Fuller?" I asked, watching her closely for any sign of recognition.

"No, not that I remember anyway" she answered truthfully.

"Ok, don't worry about him then. Right, what were you running away from the other day?" I asked not daring to blink in case I missed a single flinch. I could sense the fear coming off Andrea and cursed myself for being so blunt. If I was like Emily, I would be able to tackle this with more care.

"Nothing, I wasn't running" she answered a little too quickly. I raised an eyebrow.

"You were pretty distressed" I said noticing how her gaze was landing anywhere but me, "Andrea, I can help you if you let me"

"I don't think you can" she whispered, her shoulders slumping forward and her head bowing low. I swallowed and went straight in for the kill.

"Ever heard of vampires?" I asked nonchalantly. Perry froze, her head snapping up and her wide eyes meeting my narrowed ones.

"W-what makes you say that?" she stammered, her heart beating erratically.

"Nasty creatures, vampires" I said conversationally, smiling across at her, "why don't you tell me what you think?"

A tense silence filled the air. Maybe I had been too forward in my questioning? I wasn't exactly the most tactful person for this job but Jake had insisted I would be fine. Finally Perry seemed to collect her thoughts and opened her mouth to speak.

"They killed my dad" she whispered, the corners of her mouth pulling into a frown, "they killed him and now they want me"

"Andrea, I'm so sorry" I said, guilt filling me. I got off my table and sat next to Andrea instead.

"There were these people standing in the road and my dad couldn't stop. He crashed into them but they didn't move or get hurt. My dad hit the steering wheel" she whispered as a lone tear rolled down her cheek.

"Andrea, you can stop any time you want" I said feeling empathy for her situation as my own parents were killed in a car crash. Perry looked up at me and wiped away her tears as I smiled sadly.

"It's ok, I have to tell you" she said shakily, "one of the men was at the car door and he grabbed my dad and just broke his neck. It was horrible. I screamed so loud. Then another of the people dragged me through the window and dropped me on the road. I thought I was going to die. They kept telling me things, saying they were vampires and that I could be strong and how useful I would be. I screamed and screamed and then one of them just hit me, right across the face, that's how I got the scar. Ever since then, I've been... different"

My mind was reeling.

"I'm so sorry" I whispered, feeling a lump in my throat. Andrea smiled slightly through her tears.

"I don't know what made them leave, but they said they would find me and now they follow me everywhere I go. That's why I move around so much. And ever since then... oh god please don't think I'm weird... but ever since then, I can hear things, hear what people are thinking" said Andrea very fast, her grey eyes wide and fearful.

"You hear what people think?" I asked in surprise. Andrea nodded.

"Please don't hate me" she breathed, her cheeks pale. I smiled and put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"I don't hate you" I said reassuring her, "I'm good with weird, trust me"

"I think I know" said Andrea with a nervous laugh, "you're a wolf, right?"

"Bingo" I said grinning, "you're not freaked out?"

"No, well, I was at first, but there are so many of you and I just sort of got used to it" she said with a small shrug, "I don't know what imprinting is though and loads of people keep thinking about it. Especially you and Red and that weird Paul guy"

"He's not weird" I said stiffening slightly at her remark, "you'll find that one out soon enough"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. I know you guys are like..." she trailed off and grimaced. My eyes widened in horror.

"Oh geez, I am so sorry. I promise not to think about that anymore" I said desperately. Perry just laughed.

"It's ok, I know you two are really in love" she said, making me blush.

"So where do you live? Is it safe?" I asked curiously, this time it was her turn to go a furious red and turn away.

"The trailer park" she mumbled and my mouth dropped open.

"On your own?" I gasped and she nodded, "I can fix that don't you worry. And don't worry about the vampire problem. We've got one so far. How many others are there, do you know?"

"There were four" she said before she registered what I had said to start with, "what? No, I don't want to be any trouble"

"You're not, I just want to make sure you're safe" I said with a smile.

"Ok, if it's not any hassle" said Perry slowly.

I laughed and told her about all the spare rooms that I could think of. Her eyes seemed to widen as I told her about the bad habits that she might face at each of the pack member's houses. Eventually the bell rang for the end of lunch and we had to leave. My stomach rumbled loudly and I grimaced. There had been no time for food and I was paying the price with my stomach now trying to eat itself.

I said goodbye to Perry and made my way out of the school. They wouldn't miss me for one afternoon and anyway, I had to inform Jake of this new piece of information. If the vampires were after Andrea, the pack would need to keep her safe. It was obvious that the group of leeches were after for her mind reading abilities and there was no way I was letting them take her. She was an imprint now, one of the most important people in the pack. Nothing would get her now.

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><p><strong>AN: Ta da! How was it? I can't wait for the vampire showdown! Sorry it's a bit late! This will be the last update for a while as I need to focus on work.**

**Please review!**

**-Lem x**


	23. Planning and Panic

**A/N: Hey guys! I am so, so sorry for not updating earlier! I know it's been like 4 months but I hope you haven't forgotten about this story!**

Thanks very much to **Bookworm6193, Andreagirl1234, PhyscoPenguan64, tanny321, MyAwesomenessIsAwesome, Neejaloveslife, DubsDoll, weasleytwins12, nathaliie,** **PeaceLoveSmile, Hank's Lady **and **madmaxi **for reviewing the last chapter!

**PeaceLoveSmile- Thanks for reviewing! Hope this update keeps you satisfied for a little bit!**

**Andreagirl1234- Thanks for reviewing! I don't think I will use your idea this time but thanks again for your input!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 23: Planning and Panic<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

It took two days to convince Perry to move out of the trailer park. Red had immediately wanted to have her living with him but Jake put a stop to that idea. Apparently Red wouldn't be able to control himself if he was alone with this imprint all the time. Of course, I found that hilarious and so did Paul and Seth which ended in the three of us having to run extra patrols on top of the doubles we were already doing.

It was decided that Perry would move in with Sam and Emily after Emily refused to let her stay with any of the boys and their bad habits. I couldn't disagree with that. Seth and Collin shared a small house which was basically like a massive trash can. They had clothes everywhere and the only clean room was the kitchen which they never used because they were always scrounging food off Emily.

"Andrea, you can use the bathroom down the hall" called Emily from the kitchen as she rapidly tried to make a pile of sandwiches for the growing number of pack in the house.

"Emily's really nice, it's Sam you have to watch out for. He's a big meanie" I said to Perry as I helped her unpack. She looked up with a horrified expression.

"I heard that" rumbled Sam from somewhere in the house which made me laugh and Perry to breathe a small sigh of relief.

"Ok so they're all really nice, but watch out for Matthew, he likes to climb, but Jenny's a little princess" I said as I struggled with the blankets.

"I don't want to be any trouble" mumbled Perry as her cheeks turned red. I finished folding the blankets and looked up at her with a serious expression.

"It's no trouble for anyone. We have to keep you safe, you're pack now" I said with a reassuring smile, "now let's go get some food, I'm starving"

"You're always starving" said Perry with a small smirk. I grinned and shoved her lightly. I guess she would fit right in.

I sent Perry off to the kitchen with Emily and the kids and hurried into the living room where Jake had called a meeting. I squeezed into the tiny gap between Paul and Quil and smiled at Jake when he looked up.

"Ok, so now that we've discovered why there are vampires in our area, we can try and be tactical about this. Having Andrea here will most likely keep the vampires in La Push so we shouldn't have to worry too much about Forks" said Jake with a very serious expression on his face.

"You're not using her as bait" growled Red from the other side of the room.

"That's not what I said" said Jake sternly, his posture changing slightly as Red rose out of his seat.

"But she'll be here and you said-"

"I said that it would be most likely to keep the vampires in La Push. That doesn't mean we're setting a trap. There are other people to think about" growled Jake as he stood up and towered over Red, who shrank back into his seat.

"So how do you want to split up patrols? Same as before?" asked Embry in an attempt to diffuse the sudden tension.

"I was thinking more patrols around this area, maybe one or two wider sweeps, just in case they slip away from us again" said Jake returning to his own chair, "we have three left to get but if they all want the same thing then it should be fairly easy to catch them. I want everyone to patrol in pairs so that all bases are covered"

"I'll go with Maiyah" said Paul suddenly, his arm tightening around me.

"No, you two will just distract each other. Paul you're with Toby and Maiyah you're with Collin" said Jake with finality. I felt Paul shudder slightly before he slumped back into the sofa. He couldn't ignore Jake's orders. I didn't mind going with Collin because I knew Jake was right. Me and Paul together were always a big distraction.

We spent the next hour going through schedules and routes that would be best to take. I was on straight away with Collin and would be again the next evening which meant that I would be shattered on Monday and would probably sleep through half my lessons, but I couldn't go against Jake.

As soon as the meeting finished, Red ran straight into the kitchen to spend as much time as he could with Perry. It was quite funny to watch the way he would run around after her with drool practically hanging out of his mouth.

"You were like that once" said Sam as he dropped down next to me on the sofa. My mouth dropped open and I turned to look at him.

"I never ran about drooling" I protested.

"Ok, so maybe you weren't drooling, but you followed Paul everywhere. It was cute. You were like a little puppy running about after him, even before the imprint" laughed Sam as he poured himself a cup of tea.

"Yeah, whatever old man. I was an awesome little puppy and you know it" I said with a snort, shoving his shoulder and dodging out through the back door before Sam could make another comment.

"Hey Maiyah, you ready to run?" asked Collin as he leapt down the porch steps, stripping off his top in the process.

"Right behind you brother" I said quickly losing my clothes and phasing into my wolf form.

I turned back to the house just before I hit the tree line and yipped loudly as I saw Paul waving at me with a stupid grin on his face. God I really loved that guy.

_Can you please try and keep your thoughts PG rated for patrol? _Collin whined shoving slightly into me.

_Heck Collin, it's not my fault these thoughts of how schmexy my man is keep popping into my head, _I said, purposely thinking of a particularly steamy make out session from the other day. I heard Collin mentally wretch.

_I really do not want to be thinking of that stuff, _huffed Collin, pushing his legs a little faster.

I snorted with laughter and sounded a bit like I was coughing but I tried to keep a filter on my thoughts. It was purely accidental when I would randomly think of Paul in different situations. And of course it was a shame that Collin couldn't get at me because we were on opposite sides of the forest for the entire patrol.

_Seth! Oh thank god you're here! It's been awful, _yelled Collin a few hours later when Seth came on a few minutes early to swap over patrols.

_Collin you are such a girl, _I said mentally chuckling as Seth's confusion washed over us both.

_I've had to put up with all this romantic crap about Paul, _moaned Collin, making me and Seth burst out laughing.

_Dude, get over it. When you imprint you will be exactly the same, _thought Seth with amusement in his tone.

_Amen to that! _I yelled doing a wiggly dance and bashing into a tree causing my two pack brothers to laugh loudly at my antics, _yeah, yeah, you know you're just jealous of my mad skills._

_In your dreams squirt, _laughed Seth and I huffed at the use of the old pet name.

I continued to run around the northern perimeter of the reservation, bombarding Collin and Seth's minds with images of Paul looking all hot. Seth kept banging his head against a tree and Collin started to sing Jingle Bells really loudly in an attempt to drown out my thoughts.

_Hey guys, I don't feel so good, _whined Seth suddenly. I laughed and started to run down towards where he was.

_Shouldn't have hit your head against the tree so much then, _I said nudging him with my nose.

_No, it's not that, I feel kind of... dizzy, _mumbled Seth, staggering forwards slightly.

_Oh shit Seth, can you phase back? _I asked him, moving to stand next to him to support some of his body weight, _Collin, can you run and get the others? Collin? Collin, stop messing about! Collin!_

Collin had padded out from between two trees with a feral expression on his face. I was suddenly hit with the overpowering stench of vampires. My nose crinkled and my heart rate spiked. I couldn't hear any of Collin's thoughts and Seth was leaning heavily against me, his thoughts rapidly growing weaker. The panic rose up in me and I ducked down under Seth, managing to get him on my back. My legs trembled as I stood up. Seth was much heavier than me even though he was one of the smaller wolves.

_Collin, please listen to me, please just snap out of this, _I pleaded, trying to keep the panic out of my thoughts.

_Going... can't... hold... on... _murmured Seth from on top of me.

_No, Seth, stay with me, please, _I begged, staggering away through the trees.

I could hear Collin snarling but he didn't make a move to get close to me and Seth. I didn't understand. He had suddenly gone wild, and the scent of the rogue vampires was everywhere. Nothing was making sense.

I staggered on through the forest, howling and barking for any of the others to come and help. There was a sharp bark in my ear and I fell forward as Seth leapt off my back, his eyes wide with fright, his ears flat on his head.

_Seth, calm down, _I said getting to my feet and stepping slowly towards him.

_Maiyah, what happened? _Seth cried, his voice full of fear. I stood right in front of him and stuck my nose under his chin in what I hoped came across as a soothing action. He seemed to relax slightly but was still very tense.

_I don't know, but we should get to Sam's, tell him any small thing we can, _I said trying to keep Seth as calm as possible.

Seth nodded his big wolf head and we phased back, quickly pulling our clothes on before running the last distance to Sam and Emily's. Jacob and Embry were pacing in the front yard, worried frowns on their faces as we came charging through the undergrowth.

"Jake" I yelled, pulling Seth along with me, my arm wrapped tightly around his waist to keep him upright.

"Maiyah, what happened? We heard you calling but it was weird, like we couldn't work out where you were" said Jake rushing forwards.

"I don't know, it was so strange, Seth felt dizzy and he wasn't making any sense. He kept mumbling about losing something. And Collin's still out there. I don't know what's wrong with him" I said, my voice shaking, "and Jake, there were vampires. I couldn't see them but I could smell them really bad"

"Shit. The others are out there now, if they find anything then we'll know" growled Jake, taking Seth from me and helping him inside. I ran to Embry.

"You ok Moomin?" he asked in a strained voice.

I nodded once before flinging my arms round him and squeezing my eyes shut tight. I let out a breath that I hadn't realised I had been holding in. I told him all about Collin and how he hadn't been himself at all.

"Don't worry, I'm sure the rest of the pack will find him" said Embry stroking my hair soothingly.

I nodded against his chest and followed him into the house.

Seth was sat at the kitchen table, just staring at the cup of tea Emily had put in front of him, while Jake tried to get some small piece of information out of him. It was a scary moment. Us wolves didn't get sick. We gave up that part of our human selves the minute we first phased.

Our heads all shot up as we heard shouts from outside and then Leah came rushing into the house.

"Jake, we found Collin. He's been hurt" she gasped out, clutching her sides as she tried to catch her breath.

I felt my eyes widen in horror. I had just left him there in the forest when he clearly wasn't all that well, with the stench of vampires surrounding us. The guilt washed over me and I tucked myself into Embry's side as Jake stood up and we made room for the rest of the pack to enter the house. Collin was being carried by Paul and Quil and he looked terrible. Red and Toby squeezed into the kitchen as well and helped Sam place a plastic sheet over the kitchen table before Collin was placed onto it.

Collin's chest looked bruised and there were deep scratches on his arms and face which had not yet healed. He looked unnaturally pale as the blood and dirt caked his body.

I looked up at Paul who had a horrified expression on his face as he looked between me and Seth. I glanced nervously at Seth, but he was clutching the counter, looking on open mouthed. I turned back to Paul and gave him a questioning look. His eyes seemed to burn with pain for a few seconds before he ripped them away from me and moved to clean up Collin.

"He was barely conscious when we found him" whispered Leah, pulling a twig from Collin's hair, "he kept saying that he'd killed Seth and Maiyah... wait, where are they?"

"Here, Leah" whispered Seth, moving forward and pulling Leah into a hug.

"You're not hurt?" asked Leah, putting her hands on Seth's cheeks to check he was still there.

"No, not as far as I know" said Seth, kissing his sister on her forehead.

My eyes shot back to Paul's who looked so conflicted, as though he was having a major internal battle with himself. My heart was crying out to him but it didn't seem proper in this situation. I saw Jake nod subtly and Paul seemed to exhale before rushing over to me and pulling me up into his arms, peppering my face with kisses.

"I'm so glad you're ok" he whispered, his eyes closed and forehead resting against mine.

I gave a small smile and kissed him quickly before turning my attention back to our injured brother. I felt so much better about everything now that Paul was with me.

Jake ushered most of the wolves into the living room where Emily was waiting with Perry and the children. Embry, Sam, Jake, Paul and me all stayed behind to look after Collin. Leah took Seth outside where they could have some time together.

I grabbed a bowl of water and a cloth and started cleaning Collin's wounds before they closed up and went septic with dirt being trapped. Jake and Sam checked Collin's chest injury to see if anything was broken. They had had plenty of experience with broken bones in the pack by now so were almost as good as a doctor at recognising a fracture. Luckily it just seemed to be bruising which was clearing up as we were there. It took some time, but eventually the scratches on him began to close up and fade to long bright pink scars which would vanish within a day or two. He started to regain consciousness within an hour. Jake and Sam helped him upstairs to make him more comfortable and Jake stayed upstairs to question him about what had happened.

"Poor guy" said Sam with a sigh as he dropped down onto the sofa next to Emily.

"He'll be ok, right?" I asked nervously.

"Yeah he should be fine. Just need to find out what happened now" said Sam giving me a reassuring smile. I returned the smile and curled up against Paul who now refused to let go of me.

"Daddy, is Uncle Collin hurt bad?" asked Jenny in a trembling voice, her bottom lip wobbling as her eyes filled with tears. Sam hoisted her up onto his lap and held her tightly against his chest.

"No princess, he will be just fine, you wait and see" said Sam, rocking Jenny comfortingly.

My heart broke a little for Jenny, Matthew and Kim and Jared's twins, Lily and Ryan. I mean, yeah sure, growing up around super strong, furry giants was pretty awesome, but there was always a massive risk that one of us could be taken out at any time. I had never really thought how it would affect the kids before because my childhood was relatively sheltered for the first eight years.

We all looked up as Jake walked into the room. He looked confused but determined.

"Collin's healing just fine, he's sleeping at the moment. He told me that he felt dizzy and then found Maiyah and Seth and he remembers hurting them badly but everything else is a blank. You guys weren't hurt at all were you? I mean apart from Seth feeling dizzy? Seth, you didn't think you hurt anyone did you?" said Jake as he perched on the arm of a sofa.

"No, I just felt dizzy. Then the further from Collin we went, the less dizzy I became" said Seth quietly.

This had really taken a toll on him. Seth was always so optimistic but now he had had a strange dizzy spell and Collin had been badly injured. It was a lot to take in one day.

"Well I have no idea what could have happened, but I think, for now, I will take you and Collin off patrol until we have got rid of the rogue vampires. I don't want you guys becoming ill during a chase" said Jake in a stern voice, but his eyes showed how sorry he was to Seth who nodded and accepted the order.

"What about Maiyah?" asked Paul suddenly. I slapped his chest and glared at him.

"Nothing happened to me, I can still patrol" I hissed at him, turning bright red at his over protective tendencies.

"Maiyah's right, Paul. She can still patrol" said Jake, causing Paul to deflate slightly, "right guys you may as well head home. Quil, Embry, you can go on patrol now but keep your eyes peeled and if you feel dizzy, give the warning howl straight away"

There were murmurs of agreement around the room and slowly everyone got up to head to their respective homes. I grabbed Embry's arm just before he left the room.

"You be careful ok?" I said giving him a quick hug.

"Of course I will. I'll see you tomorrow" said Embry quickly kissing my forehead before darting out of the house after Quil.

I turned and found Paul hovering nearby, scuffing the toe of his shoe against the floorboards.

"Come on, let's go" I said with a sigh, slipping my hand into his and tugging him towards the door.

"You're not mad at me are you? For wanting to protect you" asked Paul looking like a lost little boy. I felt my heart swell with love for him.

"Course not, it's only your first instinct, but I can do this, I'm a wolf just as strong as any of you guys" I said kissing his shoulder and leaning against him as we walked.

"I know, I just love you so much. I don't know what I'd do if anything ever happened to you" said Paul letting go of my hand and wrapping his arm around my waist.

"I'm not going anywhere. Promise" I said sliding my arm around his waist and loving the feel of his hot muscles under my hand.

"Let's go back to mine. I don't like the thought of you being all alone at your house" said Paul squeezing me a bit closer to himself. Then a thought popped into my head that made me feel very childish but also made me want it more.

"Can we snuggle up on the sofa and watch films under that old blanket you have?" I asked, looking up at Paul hopefully. The blanket had been one of my favourite things to snuggle under when I was about ten and it had always made me feel a bit safer. Paul smiled down at me.

"Of course squirt, I would love that" said Paul softly before he leaned down and kissed me softly.

I smiled and wrapped my other arm around him as well for the remainder of the walk. I suddenly realised how much I needed to sit down, and snuggling up with Paul was a great way to relax.

* * *

><p><strong>Mystery POV<strong>

"Can we snuggle up on the sofa and watch films under that old blanket you have?" the girl's voice floated out through the first few lines of trees. She sounded so stupid and pathetic. Easy target.

"Of course squirt, I would love that"

I watched as the male bent down and kissed the girl. Oh, a romance. How truly devastating it will be when they destroy each other.

I turned to my obedient little puppy and smirked.

"Thankyou for helping me with this. Such a good little puppy" I sneered, pushing the boy to the ground and kicking leaves over his face. I looked to my other companion.

"This will be much easier than I first thought" I mused, using the puppy's back as a seat.

My companion stared down at me, never questioning my actions but I could see some disgust in his eyes. Disgust that I could touch a filthy shifter.

"Yes, the test went well today. It should not be too hard to gain control" he said with a satisfied nod of his head.

"I want that girl more than anything and I will not stop until I have changed her" I hissed, clenching my fists as images of the caramel haired girl with the grey eyes popped into my head.

Yes, she would be mine. And I will have this disgusting pack of mutts destroyed, mark my words.

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><p><strong>AN: I can only apologise again for the extreme wait you all had. I hope you are still reading and are not too mad at me. I had half of this written for months but couldn't get the rest out. I will try and keep up with better updating times. **

**Anyway I hope you enjoyed this. It's not my greatest chapter but I need it for what's going to happen next.**

**Please leave a review and let me know your thoughts!**

**-Lem x**


	24. Out of Control

**A/N: Hey guys! So I remembered to try and write an update sooner than the 4 month gap I made you wait through last time. **

Thanks so much to **tanny321, lionandthelambove7, bookfreak345 **and **Neejaloveslife **for reviewing the last chapter! Thanks for not forgetting about me!

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 24: Out of Control<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

It took a good few days for Collin to recover fully. He was still kept off patrols just in case anything happened to him again. He also kept apologising constantly to me and Seth. It was kind of sweet the first couple of times but after that I really just wanted him to stop. It's not like I was even mad at him really, he just felt bad about scaring all of us.

Also for some strange reason, Jake put me on patrols with Paul. I mean, I wasn't complaining or anything, I loved patrolling with Paul, but it was just weird. I asked Paul about it but he just smiled smugly and said the alpha was always right. I swear he just bugged Jake until he gave in and let us on patrols together.

The week after the incident with Collin, we all decided to have a barbeque at Sam's, just to take some of the pressure off the pack and the imprints. Perry had fitted right into life at Sam and Emily's and the kids loved her. Jenny followed her round everywhere. She practically idolised Perry and had an obsession with her hair. I often went round on an evening to find Perry with a selection of colourful clips covering her hair.

"Oh hey Maiyah" said Emily as I walked down the drive to their house.

"Hey, how's things?" I asked putting down a plate of misshapen cookies I had made.

"Nothing much has been happening. Oh and you might want to go save Sadie" said Emily who was clearly holding back her laughter.

"Huh?" I said with confusion.

"Well, let's just say Embry wants to propose using a Haribo ring" said Emily, finally bursting into a fit of giggles.

"Oh for crying out loud" I exclaimed, rushing off to find my idiot brother.

He hadn't even known Sadie that long and he was already thinking about marrying the girl? And, let's be honest, which girl in their right mind wants to be proposed to using a Haribo ring? I may not be the most girly girl, but if Paul ever pulled a stunt like that, I would never talk to him again. Well, I would, I couldn't not, but you know what I mean.

"Embry" I yelled as I marched into the house.

"No" came a guilty reply as Sadie and Embry leapt apart looking very flustered.

"Hi Sadie" I said grinning at her before turning back to my idiot brother, "right, you, me, outside now"

I marched out to the porch and tapped my foot impatiently as Embry crept out after me, his cheeks slightly pink.

"Have you been talking to Emily?" he asked awkwardly, staring at the ground.

"Yep, and I think you're a moron! At least wait a few more months before deciding to tie the knot. Sadie's a great girl but I'm sure she doesn't want to have a Haribo ring" I said snorting with laughter a bit.

"Ok I know it was a bit of a rushed decision but I wasn't thinking straight. I will wait. I want to get her a proper ring, diamonds and everything" said Embry getting all dreamy-eyed. I punched him in the shoulder and laughed.

"Dude, you would think I was the older child in this family" I said with a sigh. Embry grabbed me in a head lock and I squawked loudly.

"Oh so I haven't ever had to sit through, 'oh Paul is so wonderful, I love him so much, I want his babies', have I?" laughed Embry doing a terrible impression of what I sound like.

"Hey that's not fair! I'm a girl, I'm meant to fantasise about these things" I protested, trying to wriggle away from him.

"Our babies will be pretty cute" came a voice from behind us. I shuffled Embry round, still in headlock, and saw Paul standing in the doorway.

"Of course they will be. With parents like us, what can go wrong?" I asked with a laugh, finally pushing Embry off me and running to Paul.

"Nothing can go wrong, my beautiful girl" said Paul attempting to squeeze the stuffing out of me.

"Urgh you guys make me sick" said Embry shoving his way past us.

"Whatever, you're just jealous of our crazy mad baby making skills" I yelled after him, leaning into the house so that he heard every single word. Paul held me back laughing his head off.

"Maiyah, somehow I don't think Embry wants to know about that" he said, wrapping his arms round my waist and pulling me back to him.

"Yeah listen to your imprint" I heard Embry yell. I rolled my eyes but turned round in Paul's arms to face him.

"You do want kids, right?" I asked, suddenly unsure of his answer.

"Of course I do" said Paul softly, leaning down and pecking my lips, "but I want lots. Being an only child sucks"

"How about eight?" I asked, biting my lip to stop the grin breaking across my face. Paul raised his eyebrow.

"I think they might start walking out of you by that point" he laughed, "we have ages until then anyway"

I smiled up at him and moved my arms up round his neck to pull him down for a kiss. I loved how he didn't get freaked out by talking about babies. I know Jared took some convincing before he finally stopped going white every time anyone mentioned the number of months left before Kim had the twins.

The barbeque was really fun. Perry really gelled with Rachelle which was good because they had seemed a bit unsure of each other at school. Kim and Jared's twins were hilarious as ever, constantly arguing and then sticking up for each other if someone tried to sort them out.

Later on in the afternoon, I was sat on the sofa curled up with Paul and Matthew fast asleep on his lap. Apparently endless racing about after Quil and Seth could tire a little guy out. Who knew. And plus I wasn't going to wake him up because Paul looked so brilliant with a little kid curled up on him.

"Come on you two, you have to patrol" said Jake with a sigh, breaking through our little moment of peace.

"Aww, Jake, can't you swap us with someone just this once" I whined, burying my face in Paul's shoulder.

"No can do. Leah and Red just got back so you have to go now" said Jake sternly. I didn't even have to be looking at him to know he had his almighty alpha frown on.

"Fine, we're going" I huffed, getting up slowly and stretching out.

Jake lifted Matthew off Paul's lap and went to take him upstairs.

"You two, patrol, now" he ordered, pointing towards the exit. I groaned and smacked my forehead against Paul's chest.

"Come on squirt, it's only a few hours and you're on with me" said Paul dragging me towards the door like I was a sulky three year old.

"I really hate you sometimes" I grumbled, dragging my feet towards the forest.

"I really hate you too" laughed Paul as he started to strip off. I totally perved on him but who can blame me. There he was in all his glory. I couldn't help but stare.

"Whatever" I said trying to keep the smirk off my face as I quickly phased as well.

_I know you were looking, _came Paul's laughing words in my head.

I rolled my eyes and flashed him a picture Quil completely nude. Paul growled and leapt towards me but I dodged out of his way, racing through the trees and laughing my head of like a maniac. I had accidentally caught an eyeful of Quil at the beach once when Embry and Jake decided it would be a good idea to steal all of his clothes.

_Yep, sorry Paul, Quil's the one for me, _I told him, almost tripping over as my inability to stop my laughter took over. Paul pounced on me and began licking my face all over.

_There, now he won't want you with your manly smell, _yelled Paul triumphantly in my head, his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth in a wolfy grin.

_You are a disgusting specimen, _I said trying to throw Paul off me, with no success.

_And that is why you love me, _said Paul rolling over onto his back like a little innocent puppy. Ha, innocent, if only he knew that would never work on me.

_Well Quil is very good looking, I think it's the curly hair, _I started but was cut off when Paul clambered up and stuck his face right up close to mine.

_Please, please, please say you love me, _he whined, looking all sad and totally adorable.

_Course I do, _I said prodding his nose with mine, _I love you, ok? And that's never going to change, I promise._

_Ok, I love you too, _said Paul softly, huffing a breath and moving even closer to me.

I loved it when Paul got all mushy and emotional. Not many people really saw that side of him and it was lovely when he just opened up to me.

We been patrolling for nearly an hour and nothing interesting had happened at all. No new scents, no tracks or signs of anything out of place. Suddenly Red phased in and I could feel the panic just streaming through his thoughts.

_Red, what's wrong? _I called out to him, turning round and heading back towards Sam's.

_Andrea's gone, I can't find her, she was here, I don't know what happened, she's gone, she's just gone, _came Red's panicked reply.

_She can't have just disappeared, calm down and think everything through, _said Paul, the images in his mind showing that he was racing back to Sam's as well.

_She did, she's gone, she's gone, _screamed Red, all sorts of scenarios passing through his thoughts.

I felt Jake phase in and sighed in relief a little. He would be able to calm Red down way better than me or Paul could.

_Red, calm down now, _ordered Jake and immediately Red stopped panicking, although his mind was still racing, _we can follow her scent, we will find her._

I closed my mind off and carried on back to the house where I phased back quickly. Everything looked normal outside but there was shouting from inside the house. I exchanged a look with Paul before we ran through the front door.

"Jake, what's going on?" asked Paul as we took in the scene.

Sam and Embry were holding a very angry looking Red back who looked like he was about to attack Jake. Leah and Collin were stood by the stairs looking very worried and Seth was just running back down.

"Perry has gone missing. She told us she was going to the bathroom and now we can't find her" said Jake, running a hand through his hair. I swallowed loudly and glanced worriedly at Red.

"It's your fault. You're meant to be the alpha" shouted Red, straining against Sam and Embry.

"Red, this is no one's fault, just calm down" said Sam sternly.

"We could try and follow a trail" suggested Leah.

"Yes, right, Paul and Maiyah, I want you to try and follow any trails from here since it is your patrol, the rest of you can look around the house for anything that might tell us why she left" said Jake pointing to all of us.

I nodded and followed Paul out to the back of the house where the bathroom window was. There were several scents around the house, most of them being the pack, and then a few extra ones like the postman and some of Jenny and Matthew's friends from school. We did pick up Perry's scent and it was strong and fresh so we immediately followed it. Paul and I went first, then Jake followed a short distance behind with Red, Embry and Quil.

Our hearts started pounding when we started to pick up the smell of the rogue vampires that we had been trying to take down. The smell got stronger and stronger until Paul stopped and I went into the back of him. A low growl came from both of us.

_Guys, stay back for a few minutes. Keep hidden and try sneak round the back or something, _said Paul as we took in the situation.

Perry was stood in a little clearing and next to her was Brady. They both had the same vacant expression on their faces and it was almost like they didn't really know we were there. Paul's head whipped to the right and he growled loudly. I inched forward so that I could see round his larger body. My ears flattened against my head and I growled threateningly at the three vampires who were all smirking at us.

"Hello mutts" spat the tallest vampire. He had close shaven dark brown hair, his ruby red eyes shining brightly in the darkness of the forest.

Paul and I both growled, our bodies stiffening, ready to attack at any second but not wanting to put Perry at risk of harm.

"I think they want their little friend back" mused the weedy grey haired vampire from next to the tallest one.

"You can't have her" said the first vampire sharply, "she has the perfect gift, and I have searched for too long to get my hands on her"

"She's just perfect" said the grey haired one with a manic grin, clapping his hands together. The first vampire smirked and shot a glance at his weedy associate. I felt the anger course through me. There was no way they were turning my friend into a vampire.

"You can have one of these back. We have no more use for the stinking mutt" said the tallest vampire suddenly, snapping his fingers and turning to the third vampire, "release him"

I turned to look at Perry and Brady who were still stood motionless in the clearing. I watched, wide eyed, as Brady's eyes suddenly rolled back in his head and he fell forwards onto his knees. Some sort of protective instinct took over inside me and I lurched forward. Brady was pack. It didn't matter how long ago he had been here or what had happened, he was still pack. I felt Paul trip my hind legs and I stumbled before I could get to Brady.

_Don't go near him, _warned Paul, _it could be a trap._

_But he needs us, _I whined as Paul clamped his jaw around my tail and pulled me back to him.

_Just wait, _he told me.

I looked over at the vampires who were smirking at us, their arms folded across their chests, and standing as though they were superior to us. I growled angrily at them. They were despicable. My eyes snapped forwards as I heard a groan and Brady slowly staggered to his feet, his face paling in horror as he saw us and the vampires.

"Y-you have to go" he stuttered out.

"Now, now Brady, you have been such a loyal pet" said the tallest vampire, his voice dripping with disdain, "no need to send anyone away, this will be quite fun for you to see"

"No, no, no you can't do this" Brady screamed, lurching towards the vampires, "Paul you have to run, take Maiyah and this other girl and run"

My heart was pounding in my chest as the tall vampire grabbed Brady round the throat, stopping him in his path.

"Oh but Brady, they won't know what they are doing. You can watch them destroy each other" cooed the vampire, and I watched as his fingers squeezed minutely, beginning to choke Brady.

_Paul, he's going to kill him, _I screamed into Paul's head. I couldn't hear any of the others and I was starting to freak out.

_Maiyah, please just calm down, _pleaded Paul, but I could hear the panic creeping into his tone.

"Paul, Maiyah, he'll take your mind" choked out Brady, his fingers furiously scrabbling at the hand that was round his neck.

"That's enough" yelled the vampire, before he suddenly flicked his wrist, a loud crack filled the air, and Brady fell to the ground, limp and lifeless.

I howled out in anger at this ruthless murder. I was itching to leap forward and rip the vampires to shreds, but Paul was ordering me to stay put. He was much higher ranked than me in the pack, I had to listen to him.

"See what happens when you out live your purpose?" said the tall one before turning to the silent vampire, "can you take these two?"

"I can only hold two at a time" he replied in a thick French accent.

"Very well, release the girl, she will not be able to do anything now" said the tall one, dusting something off his sleeve, "I want to see what these two can do"

_Paul, I'm scared, _I whimpered, stepping closer to his larger form.

_It will be ok, don't be scared, _said Paul softly, his head leaning down to press against mine.

I nodded and tried to feel brave but I couldn't, I was still a scared little girl. I was scared that something would happen to Perry, I was scared that something would happen to me, but most of all I was scared that something would happen to Paul.

"You see, what my plan is, is to rid the world of filthy mutts like you" sneered the tall vampire, distracting us from Perry from a few seconds.

I looked back at her and saw she had fallen and was now trying to sit up, her face no longer blank, her eyes now wide and her mouth open as if she meant to scream. Then it all dropped into place.

_Mind control, Paul, they use mind control, _I said quickly, watching as the French vampire smirked and turned to us, _Paul, I love you._

_No Maiyah, don't say that, no goodbyes, _whispered Paul, his heart pounding loudly next to my ear.

I dropped my head slightly as I felt a dizziness take over me. My mind was filled with thoughts of how similar this was to what happened to Collin and Seth and then I thought of Paul and how I would die if anything happened to him. But then nothing. Everything was black.

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><p><strong>Jake's POV<strong>

Maiyah and Paul had disappeared from our minds several minutes ago but I knew they were still phased, I could feel them. I heard Maiyah howl painfully and growled to the pack members who were with me, to follow me. We circled round the clearing where we could hear voices and the scent of vampire was strongest.

I saw Perry huddled against a tree, sobbing her eyes out, her face buried in her knees. I snarled furiously when I saw the three vampires laughing. My wolves were fighting each other. Maiyah and Paul were fighting each other. This couldn't be happening. They looked wild, feral and completely out of control. Their teeth were bared and gnashing at each other viciously. Great long scratches covered both of them from where they must have clawed at each other. This was not normal. They would not fight each other like this. They loved each other too much. They were imprints.

Embry began whimpering beside me, his claws digging into the ground as he watched his sister fight with one of his best friends. Red was silent, his eyes trained on his own imprint. I turned to Quil.

_Get back as fast as you can, we need everyone for this, _I ordered and watched as he sped back the way we had come.

Three wolves couldn't take on three vampires in a situation like this. Maiyah and Paul were obviously not in their right mind. I turned back to the scene and my stomach clenched as Paul pinned Maiyah to the ground. She was whining and scrabbling at the ground, desperately trying to get back up. Paul just snarled at her and with lightning speed, his face shot forward and he bit her front leg, shaking his head from side to side, his jaw still clamped around her limb.

Maiyah howled in pain and wriggled underneath her imprint, her own teeth stained with Paul's blood as she bit anywhere she could reach. I felt like the worst alpha in the world. I couldn't go and help my brother and sister when they most needed me. I looked away from the fight. I felt sick to the core. The pained howls and constant whimpers filling the air, the mind link allowing Embry to show me everything that happened, the way Paul allowed Maiyah up only to pounce on her again to begin another savage attack. This time, Maiyah pushed him off and leapt on his back, clawing at his fur.

I felt relief fill me as the rest of the pack joined me. We could finally put an end to whatever madness this was. I howled loudly and pushed myself down into the clearing, aiming straight for the vampires. I managed to get a hold on the smallest, grey haired man, and with the help of Leah, we managed to pull him apart, the sickly taste and smell pungent around us. I looked up to see Quil, Red and Seth taking down the tallest vampire. There was only one left.

I looked around but couldn't see him. Then I saw Embry and Toby trying to pull Maiyah and Paul apart while Collin was trying to get up into a tree. I rushed over and looked up. The final vampire was sat in the branches, his eyes flicking between us and the rest of the pack. The tree was quite sturdy and there were several footholds. I knew what I was about to do was very risky but I needed to kill him.

I phased back to human and shot up into the tree. The vampire was shocked for a moment and it gave me the opportunity to push against him and shove him off the branch and down to the ground. Collin, Quil and Seth set upon him and soon he was nothing but a pile of limbs. I rifled round in my shorts pocket for a lighter and when the limbs had been gathered together, I set them on fire, destroying the vampires forever.

I turned back to the pack and watched in horror as Paul and Maiyah lay motionless on the ground, blood oozing from the many wounds they had inflicted on each other. The rest of the pack phased to human and we all quickly pulled some clothes on.

Embry raced over to his sister, tears streaming down his face.

"Maiyah, wake up, please, wake up" he whispered, his hands pressing against any wound he could get to, trying to stop the bleeding.

I felt a lump rise into my throat and my eyes filled with tears. I looked to Paul who was barely breathing, Seth and Leah were desperately talking to him, begging him to phase back. Miraculously, he managed to phase back to human, but the hope soon started fading as I took in his injuries. His arms and face were scratched almost beyond recognition, deep gashed covered his back and his chest looked like it had been crushed. If those were Paul's injuries, and he was the much stronger, bigger, wolf, I didn't even want to think what Maiyah looked like in human form.

"Jake, why won't she phase back?" asked Embry, his hands staining red with his sisters blood, the only family he had left.

"Just keep talking to her, she might" I whispered, barely believing the words myself.

I fell to my knees beside Paul, determined to make him more comfortable. We would have to move them out of this clearing, they both needed help. I span round as Embry cried out and I watched as Maiyah phased back. She was in a much worse state than Paul. There was a deep bite on her neck and I couldn't see any movement from her. She wasn't breathing.

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><p><strong>AN: So, are Maiyah and Paul both going to die? Or will it just be one of them? Who knows! Well, I do! But I'm evil and not letting you know yet! **

**Apologies if it seems a bit violent, I blame it on a bad day!  
><strong>

**Review and let me know what you think will happen to them both!**

**-Lem x**


	25. Pain

**A/N: Yes, I know, I'm so sorry! This new chapter is beyond late! I hope you will enjoy it anyway... if you still remember me *awkward blush because it's been 4 months*. Oh you didn't notice the 4 month gap?! Awesome! :P**

Thanks very much to **bookfreak345, Andreagirl1234, CSIGetteBlue, lionandthelamblove7, rainydaysaremyheaven, Neejaloveslife, A BlueHeartAttack77 **and the anonymous reviewer for all the lovely reviews. They mean so much to me and I am sorry for keeping you waiting.

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 25: Pain<strong>

**Jake's POV**

Paul was out cold. We had managed to get him back to his own house which had been nearest to where the horrifying event took place. Carlisle had already been to patch Paul up as best he could. I was trying to stay strong for the pack but I couldn't stop the tears that slid down my cheeks as I sat next to the broken wolf. His chest was a mottled mess of black and blue bruises where Carlisle had reshaped his ribs, the cuts on his face, neck and arms where healing painfully slowly, the skin turning an angry purple colour.

I exhaled loudly and dropped my head into my hands. It had been two days since the attack and my pack was falling apart. Leah and Sam were with Embry who was dangerously close to self destruction while Toby, Collin and Red were with Andrea who had been treated for shock. Only Jared, Quil and Seth were with me. They were some of Paul's closest friends and, when Paul regained consciousness, I hoped that they would be able to calm him down after he found out about Maiyah. Oh god, Maiyah. I let out an involuntary sob as I remembered how mangled she had looked, how no breath had left her lungs since that fateful day.

"Jake" came Seth's hoarse voice from the doorway.

I looked up at him, wiping my cheeks with the back of my hand. I couldn't even bring myself to smile at him.

"Jake, it's ok to cry" said Seth in a shaky voice, his eyes brimming with tears, his cheeks blotchy and stained from tears that had already fallen.

"How could this happen?" I asked, my voice sounded odd and raspy, "I'm meant to protect my pack, but now this has happened"

"Nothing anyone did, or could have done, would have prevented this" said Seth, coming to sit next to me, "we will all get through this, even Paul, but he will need you to be strong. You don't need to worry about the vampires either, they are all destroyed. You just need to concentrate on keeping the pack together"

I sighed and scrunched my eyes closed, trying to erase the nightmare from my mind. Seth was right, of course. I was the alpha, I had to show strength, even if I was crumbling and crying on the inside. My priority was the health of my pack member in front of me. Paul should be fully healed, physically, within the week, however I feared for his emotional stability when he found out the truth of what had happened.

Jared and Quil stepped quietly into the room. Jared looked devastated. Not only had he experienced the loss of a pack member, he was looking at his best friend and brother who had no knowledge of what had happened. I stood up and pulled him into a tight hug.

"He will get through this if we are all here for him" I said to him as I let go.

Jared barely nodded as he moved to sit next to Paul's bed. I looked to Quil who gave me a brief smile and offered me a bowl of steaming soup. I shook my head and moved to stand by the window, gazing out at the bright sunshine bouncing off the leaves, the weather in complete contradiction to the feelings of the pack.

"Jake, come on you haven't eaten for hours. You have to keep your strength up" said Quil, sounding more the alpha than I did right now.

I looked down at the shelf below Paul's window and felt a lump rise in my throat as I took in all the pictures he had of Maiyah and him smiling, laughing, alive. With a sniff, I turned around and took the food that Quil was offering me. Each gulp of soup brought memories of better times flooding into my head. Pack life before Maiyah had been good, but as soon as she entered our little world, things just seemed infinitely better. Maiyah had brought out the child in all of us, which was much needed after our teen years were taken from us when we phased and responsibilities took over. And Paul, Maiyah had been a godsend to him. His temper had calmed unbelievably and we all saw a fresh side to him. He was so gentle with her, protecting her from the smallest danger, whether it was a tree root or a school bully.

Quil took the bowl from me and made to leave the room. Seth stood up too and followed him. I glanced across at Jared who had his eyes closed and was silently mouthing words. I sighed and got up, stretching out my aching joints, and went after Seth and Quil.

"Hey guys" I said, dropping into one of Paul's kitchen chairs.

Everywhere I looked were reminders of Paul's life with Maiyah. The fridge was covered in photos and really old drawings that Maiyah had given to him. I sighed and dropped my head onto my arms on the table.

"Jake, we need to sort out the funeral" said Quil with pain behind his words.

"Not now" I whispered. I couldn't think straight with everything going on.

"Jake, it has to happen, we can't put it off forever" said Seth, sadness in his voice.

"Ok, I'll phone the Elders" I muttered, dreading the task ahead.

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><p><strong>Paul's POV<strong>

Pain. That was the only thing I could feel. I could barely feel my heart beating. I felt empty, my heart felt empty. I needed Maiyah, but I couldn't sense her anywhere near me, or anywhere for that matter. I started to panic, my breath coming in jagged gasps, pain tearing through my body as it convulsed with each intake of breath.

I felt hands holding me down, warm hands, the wrong hands. They were too big, too rough. I wanted small hands, soft skin, soothing words. All I got was a jumble of words from far away. I felt myself being trapped. I was stuck, unable to see, unable to move, sent back to the darkness.

Time passed. I had no idea how much. I was vaguely aware of being in my own bed with someone near me, but everything felt wrong. I was in so much pain and the emptiness was eating at me. I snorted a breath out through my nose and gasped. It felt as though a million icy knifes had ripped through me. I wrenched my eyes open, trying to ignore the agonising pain that came with every small movement. I couldn't scream. Something was stopping me.

"Paul? Paul!" a voice swam towards me, a deep voice, one I had known for a long time. Jared.

"J-J-" I couldn't even speak. The pain coursed through me. My brain was being squeezed. I couldn't remember how to speak. What the hell had happened to make me like this?

"Hey man, just calm down" said Jared, his voice cracking with some emotion that I couldn't put my finger on.

My eyes darted around and finally his blurry outline came into view. I couldn't focus on him. I wanted Maiyah. I needed Maiyah.

"M-Mer-" I desperately made an attempt to say her name. Jared had to go and get her.

"Maiyah?" asked Jared, his face swimming into focus. The sad expression on his face making my heart pound painfully against my ribs.

"Uh huh, w-where?" I wheezed out, slowly moving my fingers to try and work out why I couldn't move.

There was a long pause.

I gritted my teeth against the pain and turned my head to face Jared.

"I'm so sorry mate" whispered Jared, burying his head in his hands, "there was an accident and-"

Jared broke off as tears leaked from his eyes.

I felt myself freeze up at his words. An accident? Is that why I was in so much pain? No! Oh god, no! He meant... my beautiful... oh god, Maiyah.

My heart shattered and the pieces stabbed at my insides. Black spots danced in front of my eyes as my breath left me in sharp pants. The pain, the crushing pain, that came with the knowledge of my imprint's death was overwhelming. This couldn't be real. We were meant for each other, to grow old together happily.

I could hear a rasping, ripping noise and realised it was my sobs. My arms lifted, the pain on my skin was nothing compared to the turmoil in my mind, and I covered my eyes. This wasn't real. I would wake up from this nightmare and Maiyah would be safe in my arms, laughing and making fun of me just like normal.

Jared brought me crashing back to reality.

"There was nothing anyone could do" he whispered, the pain obvious in his strained voice.

"W-what...h-hap...happened?" I gasped out, finally finding my voice. I dreaded his answer.

"You remember the vampires?" he asked looking at me warily. I nodded slowly.

"The... clearing" I grunted, my head spinning. Jared winced but nodded.

"The vampires used mind control" said Jared quickly, "oh god, I'm just going to say it, but it'll probably come out all wrong. They made you and Maiyah fight each other and... and now, you're all messed up and she... she's... I'm so sorry Paul"

Silence filled the room.

I could hear voices floating up the stairs. Quil, Jake and Seth. I only caught a few words but they made me feel sick.

"...sort... funeral"

"Jake..."

"phone... Elders"

I ground my teeth together and squeezed my eyes shut.

"Get. Out." I hissed at Jared.

Jared didn't even bother arguing, he just left.

My throat closed over. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. Everything started happening on autopilot. I ignored the superficial pain and swung my legs over the side of my bed and sat up. I saw a thousand reminders of Maiyah. I wanted to die.

* * *

><p><strong>Jake's POV<strong>

Jared came running into the kitchen, his face pale and frightened. Then came a crash from upstairs.

"What's going on?" I asked, sharply.

"I told him what happened" said Jared, his voice shaking.

"Oh shit, Jared, that could have waited!" I yelled, leaping out of my chair as another crash made the house shake.

I raced upstairs, Quil, Seth and Jared hot on my heels. The door to Paul's bedroom was shut but part of the top section splintered outwards. I gripped the handle and pushed open the door.

The room was almost completely trashed.

Paul span round to face us. He looked livid. Some of his cuts had cracked open and a few dribbles of blood ran down his cheek and chest.

"Paul" I said in a warning tone, "stop this. It won't get you anywhere"

Paul snarled at the four of us in a very menacing way. I held my ground.

"Paul, you won't heal if you do this. You won't have anywhere to live" I half pleaded with him.

He didn't answer. Instead he stumbled towards us and bulldozed his way out of the room, trashing anything in his path. The destruction continued as he staggered down the stairs. I ran after him and gripped him tight around his chest, pinning his arms down. His wounds could heal later but he couldn't go on a path of destruction. We fell to the floor and I kept him pinned down, despite his struggling.

"Get off me" roared Paul, his face contorted in rage and pain, yet a great sadness showed in his eyes.

"No, you need to calm down" I said sternly. I didn't want to order him, it wouldn't be fair.

"Don't tell me to fucking calm down" screamed Paul, thrashing around, "get the fuck out of my house. Get out now"

"No, Paul. We are not leaving you alone" said Quil, kneeling down next to me.

"Just let me go, I want to die" screamed Paul, a single sob breaking through as he spoke.

"Why the hell do you want that?" questioned Quil, shock and surprise on his face.

"Because I killed her. I killed my imprint" screamed Paul, tears cascading down his cheeks.

I exchanged a look with the others as Paul stopped struggling with me and just broke down.

"I murdered my beautiful girl. I don't deserve to live"

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><p><strong>AN: So... yeah. Evil, right? Bet you weren't expecting that! **

**So I know it's been a very long time, but please, please review and let me know you're still reading! It would mean so much to me if you carried on supporting me!  
><strong>

**ALSO... Andreagirl1234... you should get an account so I can tell you when I'm going to update and discuss your ideas!  
><strong>

**x**


	26. Heartbreak

**A/N: Hey look! I'm updating! I'm sorry if you just keeled over in shock :P **

Thanks so much to **kyra3015, the way it was, Andreagirl1234, LadyKatie14, bookfreak345 **and both of the guest reviewers for reviewing! You guys got me over 200 reviews! Thankyou!

**To the guest who said they had never read my story because I never update – there are currently over 200,000 Twilight stories on this site. I am sorry that my own life took precedence over my story, but I am glad that you have now discovered my story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 26: Heartbreak<strong>

**Jake's POV**

I stared at Paul in shock. He thought Maiyah was dead? How the hell did he come to that conclusion? Oh. Jared. I would talk to him later. Right now I needed to put Paul back together.

"Paul, she's not dead"

It came out as a whisper, but Paul heard me. He made a startled, whining, sound.

"Don't lie to me" he growled, before using all his strength to push me off him.

He stood snarling and shaking in the middle of the room. I held my hands up to show him I wasn't going to try anything.

"Paul, I wouldn't lie about this" I said firmly.

"You're lying" he screamed, his face contorted in pain, "you're lying to stop me from killing myself!"

"Paul, he's not lying. Maiyah is alive, I can promise you that" said Quil in a pleading tone.

Paul looked between Quil and I, his face a picture of confusion. Then he turned his gaze towards where Jared and Seth were standing.

"But, Jared said... he said... but I killed her" whispered Paul in a shaky voice, his gaze returning to me, "I heard you. You... you were talking... a funeral"

"I didn't say that. I didn't say she was dead" said Jared quickly, his face paling.

"Paul, there will be a funeral, but it won't be for Maiyah" I said, swallowing the lump in my throat, "Brady was murdered by the leeches"

I watched as the volatile wolf visibly relaxed. I couldn't ever imagine losing an imprint, but losing Brady, and almost Paul and Maiyah, was horrifying in itself. Brady hadn't deserved to die. He had been a puppet in the leeches' plan.

"Brady tried to warn us" said Paul, his voice full of pain, "he tried to tell us about them, and then they just killed him"

Paul's knees buckled and he dropped to the floor, sobs shaking his body. I immediately went to him. His emotions were everywhere right now and he needed support.

"I should have stopped them" he sobbed, "he would still be alive"

"Paul, nothing you could have done, would have saved Brady" said Quil, putting a hand on Paul's shoulder.

"I need Maiyah, oh god, please Jake, I need her" whimpered Paul.

I sighed and nodded. Of course Paul would want to see her. I just hoped he wouldn't blame himself for her injuries.

I managed to get Paul cleaned up before we left so that he didn't frighten anyone with his appearance. He was despondent and distant as Seth rang Sam to let him know we were heading out to see Maiyah. Jared and Quil tried to clear up Paul's house as best they could, but Paul had smashed so many things that piles of broken objects were just swept to the sides of the rooms.

Seth drove me and Paul to the hospital. Jared and Quil were going to see if Andrea had calmed down at all. I kept my eye on Paul just in case he started freaking out. He seemed to tense when he realised we were heading towards Forks Hospital.

"Why are we here?" he asked slowly, his fingers gripping the edge of the seat.

"Maiyah isn't very well" I said, choosing to say as little as possible while we were in such a confined space.

Paul didn't say anything else, but seemed to remember that he had been injured too as he rubbed at his chest. I had forced him to wear a long sleeved top to cover the worst of the injuries, just in case anyone asked or tried to take a look at him.

The walk through the hospital was tense. Sam met us at the front entrance and led us through the winding corridors until we reached the more secluded part of the hospital.

"Why the hell are we going to the locked wards?" ground out Paul, his jaw set, his fists clenched by his side. I exchanged a look with Sam.

"It's only to protect Maiyah," said Sam, his deep tones sounding reassuring, "so that no one can see her without permission from the Doc"

Sam's words didn't seem to have a calming effect on Paul. The wolf only seemed to tense up further, his shoulders hitched up, his nostrils flared with anxiety.

Carlisle buzzed us into the restricted area and met us at the reception desk. He looked pensive and slightly wary of Paul. He greeted us all and took us past various other wards that had locked doors and high security. I hated that Maiyah had been put into the locked psych ward, but if it was where she could get proper treatment without prying eyes, I would not argue.

"Just through here" said Carlisle, swiping a security card across the door lock to the single room.

Carlisle opened the door and stood back to let us in. Leah looked up from her place next to Maiyah, her arm wrapped tightly around Embry who didn't even seem to register the new arrivals to the room. I took my first look at Maiyah and felt the breath catch in my throat. She was barely recognisable. She looked so pale, her skin was a mess of cuts and bruises, and that was with only her arms and head exposed. Her injuries couldn't have been healing quickly, as Carlisle had put gauze over many wounds. Half of her face was bandaged, obscuring whatever injuries lay below. But what got me the most, was the number of tubes attached to Maiyah. There were many IV leads going into her arms, and worst of all, the tube that was her only hope. The life support machine whirred noisily, each manufactured breath pumped into Maiyah's lungs, echoing in the quiet room. The slow, steady beep of the heart monitor, a painful reminder of how fragile the little wolf really was.

I closed my eyes as I heard Paul choke on his screams, his rasping breaths ripping out between ragged sobs.

"I'll let you have some time together" said Carlisle quietly, silently stepping from the room and clicking the door shut behind him.

Seth was the first to move. He took cautious steps towards Maiyah, his eyes beginning to water. He reached out a shaking hand and touched Maiyah's hand. The reaction in the room was instant. Paul leapt forward and ripped Seth away from the bed, growling and snarling loudly. I had to take control of the situation.

"Paul, calm yourself down" I ordered, feeling guilty that I had to use an alpha order on him.

Paul seemed to struggle with himself before taking a few shuddering breaths and turning to face Maiyah. Embry moved suddenly, leaning forwards over Maiyah and growling at Paul.

"Embry, leave him alone" warned Leah, standing up and putting a hand on Embry's chest.

"He did this" hissed Embry, his eyes blazing.

"Embry, stop" I said, stepping forward, "Leah, take Embry outside for some air"

Leah nodded and gripped Embry's shoulders, pulling him out of the door. I was left with Seth and Paul. Seth shook his head and hurried out after his sister. Now just Paul remained. He had tears streaming down his face as he gazed down at his broken imprint. I took a seat in the corner of the room as a small way of showing Paul that he could have time on his own with Maiyah.

"What have I done?" he croaked, looking so lost and heartbroken.

"It wasn't you that did this. Blame the leeches" I said bitterly.

Paul didn't reply. He moved around the bed and dropped into the seat Embry had been sitting in. We stayed sat in silence for several minutes before Paul reached out his own injured hand, and carefully pushed a few loose strands of Maiyah's hair out of her face. He took a deep breath and, ever so gently, placed his hand against Maiyah's cheek.

"I'm so sorry baby, I'm so sorry" he whispered, carefully slipping his free hand into Maiyah's smaller, limp hand.

The pain in Paul's voice was like a bottomless pit; it was never ending, and for me, unfathomable. He kept repeating his words, whispering his apologies and pain. If I ever imprinted, I prayed that I would never hurt my imprint so much. I know none of this was really his fault, but it was painful to watch, I couldn't even begin to comprehend how much he was hurting. I looked up when I realised that the room was silent. Paul's shoulders were heaving with silent tears as he looked at Maiyah.

"I promise to never hurt you like this again, I'll keep you safe from everything" he whispered, resting his head next to hers and kissing her gauze covered ear, "you're still my beautiful angel. I love you so much baby, more than I can ever show you. Please come back to me, please, I need you. You're the best thing in my life, you can't leave me now, you just can't. We have so much to do together. I had plans of my own you know, I was going to wait until you were twenty one, then I was going to ask you to marry me. Even if you said no, I would ask every single day for the rest of my life. I want kids too, lots of them, and they would grow up to be just like you.

"I know you always wanted to go to Disneyland. I saved up all my spare wages. I wanted to surprise you for your eighteenth. You've got to wake up so that I can take you there. I'll make sure it's cleared with work and the pack so that no one can disturb us or call us back. I know you'd like that, meeting all of your Disney heroes. Hell, I'd buy you every stuffed toy in the place if it makes you happy! Just please come back to me, please"

Listening to Paul was heartbreaking. Every whispered word of love, every plan he wanted to have with Maiyah, every pleading word for her to wake up sounded so loud in the bleak hospital room. I couldn't take much more of it. The chair creaked noisily as I got up. Paul didn't seem to notice, he just kept talking to Maiyah.

As I walked back towards the front entrance, I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. Everything seemed to be going so well with the pack. But there's always something out there to knock us back.

"How's he doing?" asked Leah as I sat down with them in the little hospital cafe.

"He's talking to her" I said, nodding my thanks as Seth passed me a bottle of water.

"I should be in there" said Embry, his face pale with worry and large bags under his eyes.

"Embry, you need to rest. Let Paul be with her now" I said, taking a gulp of water.

"But she's my sister" whined Embry, trying to get out of his chair. Leah stopped him.

"Yeah and she's my best friend, but Paul is her imprint. They need to be with each other. It might help with the healing" said Leah, her words seeming to calm Embry slightly.

I looked up as Sam joined the table. He looked worn out. I knew he'd had very little sleep in the past few days, splitting his time between the hospital and his own family.

"Matt and Jenny keep asking about Maiyah and Paul. I don't know what to tell them anymore" he sighed.

That was a new problem we had found over the years. Pack children asked lots of questions about lots of things. Lily and Ryan weren't so bad as they were too young to understand much, but Matt and especially Jenny were very inquisitive and didn't miss much.

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><p>A few days passed and still there was no change with Maiyah. Paul's wounds had mostly disappeared, but there were some scars that would never go. Two jagged red lines would always remain on Paul's back and a few deeper cuts on his arms, but apart from that there was no other visible damage. He still had difficulty breathing from time to time, but never once complained. I had to alpha order him into seeing Carlisle about it. The only explanation for the problems, were a combination of the ribs taking longer to heal, and the pain in his chest that he felt for Maiyah.<p>

Maiyah was a completely different story. Carlisle admitted that due to some fractured vertebrae in her spine, there was the possibility that Maiyah could be paralysed. The Doc was also concerned about the head injuries Maiyah had received. The likelihood of even a small amount of brain damage, was high. And that was the prognosis if Maiyah ever actually woke up.

Paul was, naturally, devastated. He blamed himself for everything. Every day, he went to the hospital and sat talking to Maiyah for hours on end until another pack member had to literally drag him out to eat or sleep.

I was waiting outside Maiyah's room almost a week after the accident when suddenly, I heard Paul shouting and he burst out of the room.

"Carlisle, Carlisle, help" he yelled before darting back into the room.

Carlisle was there in seconds and I rushed in after him. Maiyah was choking around the tube in her throat, her hands clutching the blankets and her eyes squeezed shut.

"Paul, step back please, I need to remove the tube" said Carlisle, holding his hand up.

Paul immediately moved away from the bed and stood next to me. Carlisle held Maiyah down as she tried to choke out the tube, and carefully pulled the pipe from her throat. I held my breath as he moved the machine away and turned to check Maiyah over. After an eternity, Carlisle looked up and gave us both a reassuring smile.

"She's back with us" he said softly.

I could hear Paul's heart beating at around a mile a minute. It was only now that we would know about any other problems.

I watched as Maiyah's eyes slowly opened and she stared up at the ceiling through bleary eyes. Her mouth opened and closed.

"Paul" she croaked, her voice dry and cracking.

Paul was by her side in an instant, cradling her hands, face, anything he dared to touch.

"I'm here Maiyah, everything's going to be ok now, I promise" he said, smiling brightly at Maiyah, relief evident in his voice, "I love you Maiyah"

"Love... Paul" murmured Maiyah, turning her face ever so slightly into Paul's touch.

Paul laughed through his tears of happiness. I was so glad that Maiyah had woken up. She was back where she belonged; the land of the living, and in Paul's arms.

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><p><strong>AN: Well, there we go! I couldn't ever have killed off Maiyah, she's like my best character ever! So I hope you liked it. I found it quite difficult to write this.**

**Oh and I saw Breaking Dawn Part 2 in the week... if anyone wants to talk about it, PM me... I have a lot to rant about!**

**MERRY CHRISTMAS! Yes it's that time of year again! Hope you all have a good one and get what you wish for!**

**Please leave a review!**

**x**


	27. The Pain of a Brother

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the wait! Work has been very hectic lately which means there is hardly any time for writing.**

Thankyou so much to **LadyKatie14, bookfreak345, Guest **and **Andreagirl1234 **for reviewing. It always means a lot to me! Sorry that I didn't reply to each person but life was very busy.

**Andreagirl1234- there will be some drama with Embry, you will just have to wait and see!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my own characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 27: The Pain of a Brother<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

Carlisle discharged me a few days after I woke up. I was getting cabin fever being locked up in that poky little room and being forced to stay in that teeny tiny bed. I was almost fully healed. A few twinges here and there, some cuts that were refusing to heal quickly, and that minor issue of forgetting how to walk properly at times.

"Let me help you, please" begged Paul as we walked from the hospital into the parking lot.

"God, Paul, just shut up" I growled. I could walk to the car on my own.

"But what if you fall over?" he whined pathetically, walking ridiculously close to me.

"Oh my god, shut up, seriously" I said, quickening my pace and ignoring the twinges in my back.

"Paul, leave the kid alone" chuckled Sam as he took my bag from me. I growled at his choice of words. I wasn't a little kid any more.

I hopped in the car and sighed as Paul slid in next to me. I loved him to pieces, but sometimes he took the whole imprint thing way too far. I'm not going to lie and say I wouldn't be exactly the same if our positions were reversed but still, he needed to take a chill pill.

"We're having a little get together at mine later, so I'll drop you home then you need to be ready for six" said Sam as we drove back towards La Push.

"Awesome" I said, grinning. I couldn't wait to be back with the pack. I had missed them all so much. Yeah, sure, they came to visit, but I couldn't mess around with them.

When Sam pulled up outside my house, I clambered out and almost fell over when my foot caught on the door. Luckily Paul caught me before I could face plant into a muddy puddle. He frowned down at me but I could see the amusement in his eyes.

We waved Sam off and made our way into the house. As soon as we walked in I felt my nose crinkle in disgust as the smell of stale beer and off milk wafted through the house. I looked up at Paul but he just shrugged his shoulders and went to put my bag upstairs. I shuffled into the living room and felt my confusion grow as I saw empty bottles covering the coffee table and Embry passed out on the sofa. I rushed over to him and shook him awake.

"Oh, hey Maiyah" he slurred before rolling over and going back to sleep.

"Heck, what's wrong with him?" asked Paul as he came into the room and went over to Embry, "yo, Embry, wake up, your sister's home"

"Yeah, in a minute" said Embry, not even opening his eyes.

I exchanged a worried glance with Paul. It took a lot to get a wolf drunk and Embry hardly ever drank anyway, it just wasn't his thing.

"What's been going on?" I demanded, standing up and staring around the room.

"No idea. I've been at the hospital with you the whole time" said Paul, confusion in his voice, "I'll get this place cleaned up, you just take a rest"

I shook my head.

"No, I want to help" I said stubbornly. If my brother was in this much of a mess, I would be one to help him.

Paul and I stood glaring at each other for a few seconds before he sighed and nodded in defeat. I went to the kitchen to see what the mess was like in there. Dishes were piled on the drainer and empty food packaging was flowing out of the bin. An open bottle of very off milk was on the table and I nearly heaved as I poured the lumpy contents down the sink.

After half an hour, the floor and main surfaces were clear and clean. I turned to face the mammoth pile of washing up, ignoring the pain that was building in my head. I struggled through the dishes, blinking away the colourful spots that had begun to dance in front of my eyes. As I put the last plate to drain and pulled the plug up, I sagged against the counter. Maybe doing all this cleaning straight after I came out of hospital wasn't the greatest idea ever.

"Maiyah" cried Paul as he came into the kitchen.

I heard the clunk of glass as he put a black bin bag down. I looked up at him through hazy eyes and slumped even further down the counter.

"I'm fine" I mumbled as Paul pulled me against him.

"No you're not. Come on let's get you somewhere comfortable" said Paul, lifting me bridal style and taking me through to the living room, "what happened?"

"I just did too much" I said closing my eyes as I let the drowsiness take over.

"Ok baby, I'll be right here when you wake up" I heard Paul say as I drifted off to sleep.

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><p>I woke to the sound of Paul and Embry shouting and cursing at each other very loudly. I sat up slowly and rubbed my eyes. The room was spotless and Embry was no longer on the sofa. I stood up and stretched out, groaning slightly as I felt my bones click and crack. When I poked my head into the kitchen, I found two very angry men shaking and yelling at each other.<p>

"I'll come back later then" I said quietly, turning my back on them and making my way towards the stairs.

"No, wait" Embry cried out, racing after me.

"Oh, well, hello to you too" I grumbled, not stopping in my mission to get to my room.

"Just come and talk to me, I want to know how you are" said Embry following me up the stairs.

"You couldn't be bothered earlier when you were drunk and hadn't even bothered to clean the house" I muttered.

I gasped as I felt Embry grip my arm and spin me to face him, making me stumble back against the banister. I had never been afraid of my brother, but at that moment, I hardly recognised him. There was an angry, broken look in his eyes.

"Get your hands off her" Paul growled menacingly from the bottom of the stairs. Embry immediately let go and backed away.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking" said Embry quickly, a look of panic in his eyes.

I smiled at him and took his hand.

"It's ok Embry" I said softly before turning to Paul, "I got it from here, you should go home and get a shower before we head to Sam and Emily's later"

"Are you saying I smell?" gasped Paul in mock hurt. I smirked at him.

"Yes" was my one word answer before I burst out laughing and carried on up the stairs, "I'll see you later"

I heard him grumbling about evil people called Maiyah and laughed loudly. No idea who he could be talking about.

Embry followed me upstairs and I let him into my room. He seemed really down about something and I was determined to find out what. I must admit I was surprised when Paul said Sam was going to pick me up from hospital, I thought Embry would be the first one there. Mind you, he hadn't been to visit me for a day or two. I collapsed onto my bed, sighing happily as the soft, comforting duvet welcomed me back. Embry flopped down on my chair and pulled it towards the bed.

"So what's the verdict from the doc?" asked Embry, picking up my Beauty and the Beast alarm clock and fiddling with the moveable arms of Belle.

"All's good. Well, I'll be doing things a bit slower than usual and there might be some scarring but nothing major. Apparently you were all freaking out that I would be paralysed" I said, rolling over and taking my clock from Embry before he broke it.

"You don't know what it was like. I thought you were going to die" said Embry, his face crumpling.

I sighed and reached up, pulling him down for a hug. I missed spending time with Embry, and the thought of anything happening to him made me very sad. We were all each other had when it came to family.

"Well I'm not going anywhere now" I said, hugging him a little harder before releasing him, "now what's up with you?"

Embry slumped back in the chair and rested his feet on the bed frame. He let out a sigh that was filled with all the worries of the world. I sat up. This was not the Embry I grew up with. He was always upbeat and positive, not a massive worrier.

"Nothing's wrong" he said giving me a very forced smile. I raised my eyebrow at him.

"Bull" I said, "you're not acting like yourself"

"I was just worried about you is all, ok?" he said, his defences going up. I snorted.

"If you say so" I said shaking my head and lying back down, "so what were you arguing about with Paul?"

There was a pause and I glanced over. I could practically see him trying to think up some excuse.

"Nothing important" he said uncomfortably.

"I can just ask Paul later, you know that" I sighed, "you may as well just tell me now"

"Fine, he was saying that I'm being a useless brother at the moment and that if I can't take care of you then he will" mumbled Embry, dropping forward so his elbows were on his knees and his head in his hands.

"You're not useless. One day of being an untidy, lazy ass, doesn't make you useless" I said with a huff. Embry didn't move.

"Come here" I sighed, shuffling over and patting the space next to me.

Embry pushed himself off the chair and lay on his back next to me.

"I'm sorry I was such a mess when you came home" he whispered, staring at the ceiling.

"It's ok, you're allowed to make a mess, just don't make a habit of it" I chuckled, "now come on, I can't wait forever, what's really the problem?"

There was silence for a few moments, but I didn't push him for an answer.

"She doesn't want me" he whispered so quietly that I was almost sure he hadn't said anything.

"What? Who doesn't want you? Sadie?" I asked in shock. Embry nodded and turned his head away from me.

"She says it's too dangerous and she wants someone normal" he said, his voice shaking and thick with a suppressed need to cry, "she won't even talk to me"

"No, Embry, that's awful" I gasped, pulling my brother against me. How could Sadie do that to him? Embry was amazing and any girl would be lucky to have him but she was his perfect match. Did she not know that she was slowly killing him?

"It hurts, oh god, it hurts so much" he choked out, wrapping his arms around me.

"I know, but things will get better, I swear" I promised him, remembering how much it had hurt to be away from Paul those times in my life.

We lay there for a long time until Embry had finally calmed down enough to fall asleep. I carefully extracted myself from his grip and got up when I heard a knock at the front door. I gingerly hopped down the stairs, trying not to cramp up.

"I thought something had happened to you" sighed Paul as I opened the front door.

"Generally people say hello, but whatever floats your boat" I said grinning at him, "why? Is something happening?"

"Well it's nearly half six and you're meant to be at a party" said Paul waving his hands at me.

"Oops" was my highly intelligent response.

"Yeah, oops" said Paul folding his arms across his chest and leaning against the doorpost.

I smiled innocently at him before racing back into the house and to my room. Embry was still curled up asleep on my bed. I couldn't leave him here alone so decided to wake him. He groggily got up and after much persuading and him making me promise not to tell anyone about Sadie, we finally made it out of the house.

"Honestly, you two, you're as bad as each other" laughed Paul as we started the short walk to Sam and Emily's.

The party was loud when we got there. I smiled when I saw Jared and Sam fighting over the CD player, Sam apparently thought the music was too loud. Leah was the first to notice our arrival.

"Hey kid! You're back!" she yelled, trying to make herself heard over the music that seemed to be getting louder.

"Can't get rid of me that easy" I laughed as we hugged like our lives depended on it.

"Damn, and I was trying so hard" said Leah, punching the air in mock frustration.

I burst out laughing and followed Leah further into the house. I don't think I've ever received so many hugs in my life. Even Jared moved away from his beloved sound system to come and say hello.

The evening was fun. It felt like I hadn't seen the pack for ages. Andrea, Amos and Rachelle were talking quietly in a corner. I was glad that none of them had decided to abandon their imprints, unlike Sadie. I felt mad at Sadie for hurting my brother like she had. Of course our lives were full of danger, but it wasn't an everyday occurrence. Embry was sat quietly on the sofa, his expression was a false happiness which I saw straight through.

"Come on Embry, we can talk to her, smooth things out. She'll soon come round" I said quietly as I sat down next to him. He sighed and leaned his head against my shoulder.

"I hope you're right, I really do" whispered Embry. I wrapped my arms around him and just held him.

"Even if I have to go all macho sister on her ass" I said with a quiet chuckle.

"Hey, morons, get outside and play some footie" yelled Collin from outside.

I sighed and ignored him. Embry clearly didn't want to play and I wasn't going to play if he didn't. We both heard them set up the game and pick teams but we just sat in silence. Suddenly Quil rushed into the room, his hair in disarray and a massive grin on his face.

"Come on guys, we picked teams, you have to play" he said all in a rush.

"Not today" I answered for both of us.

"Embry? Come on man, I still have to whoop your butt after the last game" said Quil, leaning forward and punching Embry playfully in the shoulder. I felt anger surge up inside me and I leapt up, shoving Quil backwards against a wall, my arm across his chest.

"I said, not today" I growled angrily.

Quil put his hands up in defence, a worried look in his eyes.

"Woah, calm down" he said nervously.

I continued to glare at him, an unnatural snarling sound coming from me. I couldn't focus on anything else. I guess I was just angry at him for not noticing how depressed Embry was at the moment.

"Maiyah, what are you doing?" yelled Jake, tearing me away from Quil.

"Sorry" I mumbled, staring down at the floor as guilt washed over me.

"You don't fight pack! How many times do I have to tell you that?" groaned Jake, "why were you even attacking Quil in the first place?"

"He was annoying me and Embry" I mumbled, still staring at a very interesting piece of carpet.

"That's no excuse for starting an argument" said Jake before turning to Embry, "now what are you so down about?"

There was silence as everyone waited for Embry to answer. I could see his composure crumbling, it hurt to see my brother in so much pain. I balled my fists and gritted my teeth. Embry glanced up at me, his eyes full of panic. I nodded and took a deep breath.

"Sadie is rejecting him"

There were gasps from around the room. Now they finally understood why Embry was depressed.

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><p><strong>AN: So there we go, not my best attempt ever but I'm a bit under the weather at the moment. I'm hoping to get another chapter done soon. Thanks for being patient with me.**

**Please review, I really love hearing from you all!**

**X**


	28. Confrontations and Cuddles

**A/N: Hello again everyone! I'm trying really hard to find more time to write because I really want to finish all of my unfinished stories!**

Thankyou so much to **Neejaloveslife, bookfreak345, Andreagirl1234 **and **the guests **who reviewed the last chapter! It really is you guys who keep me going and this story is for all of you! Thankyou so much for reading every chapter and taking those few precious seconds to review! Massive love to you guys!

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my characters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 28: Confrontations and Cuddles<strong>

**Maiyah's POV**

Paul was going to stay at mine overnight. I didn't really want to leave Embry on his own right now. He wasn't in a good head space. Everything had sort of come to an end at Sam and Emily's after everyone found out that Sadie was rejecting him. I thought about everything that had happened in the past couple of weeks and what could possibly make Sadie suddenly reject Embry when she clearly loved him.

"What's on your mind?" asked Paul, propping himself up on his elbows and looking down at me as we lay in bed.

"I was just thinking" I sighed, my eyes flicking to Paul, "why would you reject someone you love with all your heart?"

"I have no idea. I guess if something happened, or you felt guilty or something, you might not want the other person to feel bad with you" suggested Paul with a shrug. I gazed at him for a moment before looking at the ceiling.

"Ok, let's put you in the situation. You're just you, you've got a girl that you love more than anything and you think she loves you back, you don't do anything wrong or unusual, but all of a sudden your dream girl stops talking to you and tells you she doesn't want to have anything to do with you. What do you think, or do?" I ask, feeling confused.

Paul makes a sort of strangled sound and I quickly look at him with wide eyes, a look of horror is on his face. I snake my arm round his neck and stroke his hair comfortingly.

"I'm not rejecting you, silly" I say softly, pulling him down and kissing his horrified expression away.

"You promise?" he whines sadly and I nod, "ok, well, hypothetically I would obviously be devastated and I would question the girl about why she's suddenly decided that we can't be together"

"Good answer" I say snuggling into his chest and yawning, "I'll get onto that tomorrow then"

"Ok beautiful, just don't get into any fights" he says, touching our foreheads together.

I smiled and sat up, twisting slightly so that I could place little kisses all over his back where I had scarred him so badly.

"I'm sorry about hurting you" I whispered as I lay back down, guilt washing over me like a tidal wave.

Paul pulled me close, almost under him, in a very protective way, his eyes flickering across to the scar that had made my ear look as though it had been cut in half. A look of intense pain crossed Paul's face and I winced as I felt my own pain at hurting my imprint.

"I'm sorry too, but you're still the most beautiful girl I've ever seen" he breathed into my ear.

I tightened my hold on him a little and scrunched my eyes shut. Even now, I found it hard to believe that Paul was actually mine forever. I would never get over hurting him, though. I guess I now knew how Sam felt about Emily.

"I've never believed that anyway" I said quietly.

Paul stared at me with a questioning look, his eyes full of confusion and shining brightly in the dark room.

"What?" he asked.

"Well, I'm not the most beautiful girl, am I? I mean, Leah's hot, Rachelle's really pretty and I'm just really plain" I said with a sigh.

I had never said anything like this to Paul. I didn't want him thinking I was comparing myself to other people and getting 'girl issues'. Well, yes, I was comparing myself to Leah; she was my female idol. I didn't have any curves, and I just had one of those faces that blended into the background and people forget it in a second.

Paul rolled onto his side and I followed suit so that we were facing each other. However, I couldn't bring myself to look at him. I never understood how someone so hot and handsome would ever be able to wait their whole life for some stupid kid to grow up into a plain Jane who would never look good next to the perfection of Paul.

I stared at Paul's chest but looked up when it suddenly shifted erratically. I was horrified to see tears forming in his eyes.

"Don't you ever dare say that again" he said in a choked voice, his hand coming up to cup my face, "you are the most amazing person I have ever met. I would never swap you for anything in the whole world. You're so beautiful, _so _beautiful that I sometimes have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming and that you are actually all mine. Never compare yourself to anyone because they sure as hell don't compare to you. So please, don't think bad things about yourself"

Paul moved forward and pressed his lips against mine, all of his feelings and emotions poured into that kiss. It made me half believe what he was saying. Paul must have noticed my slight upset and kissed me with even more passion.

"I love you so damn much" he said breathlessly, pulling away slightly, a fire and passion blazing in his eyes.

I couldn't speak, just nodded my head. That was all it took for Paul to attack my lips again. I gave in then and kissed him back with just as much passion. I moaned slightly as he growled possessively and moved so that he was hovering over me. I ran my hands down his heaving, bare chest before hooking one arm round his neck and pulling him down against me. I guess I would just have to be tired when I went to see Sadie tomorrow, but tonight would be worth it.

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><p>The next morning was surprisingly bright and sunny, which was unfortunate as I hadn't pulled the curtain all the way across and a ray of light was currently blinding me. I groaned and rolled into a dark area.<p>

"No, come back" moaned Paul, his hand grabbing my hip just as I went to get out of bed.

I looked down at him and grinned. He looked so handsome, even when his hair was wildly out of place and he had lines all over his face from where he had been lying on the pillow.

"I have stuff to do today" I said, inching closer to the edge of the bed and stretching out my stiff legs.

Paul pouted and I laughed loudly before flopping back onto the mattress and wiggling over to him. He beamed triumphantly and wrapped his strong arms around my waist.

"How are you feeling this morning?" he asked, moving a piece of hair off my face.

"Surprisingly ok, considering I only left the hospital yesterday and did a bit of exercise last night" I said wiggling my eyebrows and making him grin guiltily.

"It was an accident?" he suggested innocently.

"Well if that's what you call an accident, let's hope you have a few more" I said snuggling against his chest which I felt rumble in satisfaction.

We lay there in each other's arms for another half an hour before I forced Paul to let me get up. I quickly grabbed a shower and got dressed before hurrying to Embry's room to see how he was. When I opened the door I sighed sadly. Embry was lying on his back staring up at the ceiling. I doubted if he slept at all. I went over to him and sat on the edge of the bed, taking his hand in mine. He slowly moved his head to look at me with a blank expression.

"Morning bro, how was your night?" I asked softly.

"Bad" he said in a hoarse voice, "it hurts more all the time"

"I know, I know. But today, things are going to get better" I said smiling at him. He looked at me, confused.

"How?"

"I'm just going to visit Sadie, don't worry I won't get mad at her" _too much, _I added on in my mind.

Embry turned to face the ceiling again.

"It won't work, she hates me" he whispered sadly.

"We'll see" I said, before standing up "come on, up you get and in the shower, you smell bad"

I left him to get up and made my way down to the kitchen where Paul was sitting in a pair of basketball shorts, his hair dripping wet, drops of water rolling down his neck. I swallowed and shook my head before heading to the fridge.

Breakfast was really awkward. Embry was understandably depressed, but Paul trying to crack jokes to cheer him up just wasn't going to work this morning. I quickly finished eating and dumped my plate in the sink before heading to my room so I could call Andrea and Rachelle. I told them my plan and we agreed to meet on the corner of Sadie's street in fifteen minutes. I attempted to straighten out my room before I left but Paul had flung his clothes and things everywhere so I just gave up and decided to head out. I left Paul in charge of Embry.

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><p>"Hey guys" I said as I caught up with my two friends.<p>

"Morning Maiyah" said Rachelle brightly. She always had been a morning person.

"Hey" came Andrea's much more sedated response.

I smiled at them both and nodded my head down the road, leading the way to Sadie's house. When we arrived, I knocked on the door. My nerves rose when Mr Cooper opened the door and glared at all of us.

"Yes?" he barked roughly.

I balled my fists and took a deep breath, my eyes flicking to my left as I felt Andrea's hand on my arm.

"Can we see Sadie, please?" I asked with determination.

Mr Cooper glared at me for a few moments but I wasn't backing down.

"No, your family have hurt her enough" he said, moving to shut the door.

My hand shot out and stopped him from doing exactly that. He pushed against it but with my wolf strength he was unable to shift the door. He sighed and shook his head.

"Fine, you've got half an hour" he said brusquely, opening the door a little further to allow us in.

We were led to the sitting room and told to wait. I immediately made myself at home; after all, I was recovering from a serious accident and needed rest. Well actually, I just wanted to calm myself down otherwise I would be pacing the room and the growing need to pounce on, and attack, Sadie would grow.

We all turned when Mr Cooper cleared his throat and moved from the doorway to reveal a puffy eyed, pyjama clad, defensive looking Sadie. I frowned. This would be difficult to talk about if Mr Cooper was determined to stand in the room, glued to his daughter, for fear that we might abduct her or cause her any more grief.

"Dad, it's ok, you can go" said Sadie in a monotone voice.

After quite a bit of huffing and puffing, Mr Cooper finally left the room. Sadie sat down in an armchair, far from the sofa which the three of us were sitting on, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"What do you want?" she asked harshly.

"I want my brother back and if that means coming to knock some sense into you, then so be it" I said frostily.

"I don't want to talk about him" sniffled Sadie, wiping her eyes roughly on her sleeve.

"Well tough, that's why we're here" I said, feeling the anger bubble up inside me.

I shot forward but Andrea and Rachelle grabbed my arms and pulled me back. I growled quietly but they didn't let go which was probably for the best.

"Just hear us out" said Andrea softly.

There was silence as we waited for some sign of acceptance from Sadie. She nodded minutely and I breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

"We won't take long, we just want to understand" said Rachelle sympathetically. I glanced at her and smiled. I'm glad I brought my two friends with me, they kept me from doing anything too stupid and knew when to say the right thing.

"Sadie, we just want to know why you've suddenly decided to reject Embry. I mean, you two were head over heels in love with each other, so why now?" I asked, clasping my hands together to stop from fidgeting too much.

"I don't love him" said Sadie gruffly, ducking her head down so that we couldn't see her face.

I didn't need to have Andrea's ability to read minds to know that Sadie was blatantly lying. I glanced at Andrea and she nodded having heard my train of thought. I sighed and turned back to Sadie.

"Is it about what we are?" I asked, unsure of how she would answer, "I mean, before the whole 'Andrea was abducted' thing, everything was going perfectly. What changed your mind?"

"You're all monsters" she whispered in a ragged voice.

I clenched my fists tightly and ground my teeth together, trying hard to suppress a growl. Rachelle and Andrea both put restraining arms on my arms.

"'Monsters' is a bit strong, Sadie" said Andrea quietly, her gaze flicking between Sadie and me.

"But look at what you can do, and that's just to each other" wailed Sadie loudly, pointing her arm at me, "you'll have scars forever, so will Paul, and Emily is already scarred. Who's next, huh? Which little imprint is going to be hurt, or worse, killed? Have you noticed it's never the vampires hurting you? I mean, sure, they cause hassle, but have they hurt you? No! It's always you hurting each other! I don't want to end up like that"

We all sat in a stunned silence as we let Sadie's outburst sink in. When I thought about it, she was partially right. It had always been another shape shifter hurting each of us. But some of that was as a result of vampires. I blinked when Rachelle suddenly shot across the room and wrapped her arms around Sadie.

"And then when Andrea went missing, that was the final straw. I don't want to be scared for my own life, I don't want that. I thought if I could just get out of your world, I might have a chance, but everything hurts so much. I miss Embry more than anything, I just want things to be ok but I don't want to be scared" cried Sadie, tears streaming down her face, her whole body shaking as sobs rocked through her.

I looked at Andrea who was biting her lip with worry and felt my shoulders slump. Sadie wasn't trying to hurt Embry, she was just really scared after what had happened, and now that she had explained, I really couldn't blame her. I rubbed my left hand over my face and smacked my head against Andrea's shoulder, mentally facepalming myself and smiling slightly when I felt Andrea's shoulder move as she chuckled quietly.

"I'm sorry Sadie, I didn't realise how hard it must be for you or for any of the imprints. I don't really know what it feels like to be a normal human imprint, so I should have thought more about your feelings" I said sincerely. It's true, I had never really thought about what it would be like as a human imprint, I had always selfishly thought everyone would be fine just because I was.

"I-it's ok, I'm sorry if I over reacted" sniffled Sadie as Rachelle rubbed her back comfortingly, "I do want to be with Embry, I swear, I was just so frightened that I ran from everything"

I smiled and nodded at her to show I understood.

"God, I bet Embry hates me so much. He's never going to want me back" moaned Sadie, fresh tears pouring down her cheeks.

"Trust me, he will always want to be with you. He loves you more than life itself" I said smiling at Sadie who suddenly leapt up.

"I need to see him" she announced, trying to head to the door.

I shot up and grabbed her arm, making her stop in her tracks, a shocked look on her face.

"You might want to take a shower and get some normal clothes on first" I said trying to control my laughter.

Sadie looked down, confusion on her face, before a blush crept onto her cheeks and she smiled.

"That might be a good idea" she said, grinning and turning to go the other way.

I went back to the front room and flopped back into my seat. I could hear Sadie telling her father that it had all been a massive misunderstanding and that she was going to head out to see Embry. I smiled and leaned against Andrea.

"Well that went a lot easier than I was expecting" I said with a sigh.

"Yeah, I was half expecting it to end with you dragging her out of the house and forcing her to see Embry" snorted Rachelle which caused me to snort and burst out laughing.

"As if I would do that" I scoffed, making my two friends laugh too.

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><p>Nearly an hour later, Sadie finally appeared looking as though she was about to head out on a date. I rolled my eyes and went to start the walk home. Embry would be drooling and grovelling at her feet in no time at all. I linked arms with Rachelle who was heading off to see Toby once we reached my place.<p>

I opened my front door and called out to Paul and Embry to let them know we were there and not some pilfering criminals. Paul came out to greet me in a semi embarrassing way until I pushed him away and dragged Sadie towards the sitting room where Embry was slumped on the sofa. He looked up in shock as we walked in, his eyes widening as he saw Sadie.

"Sadie" he said as almost a prayer, standing up quickly and rushing forwards, only to stop and rethink his actions as he reached Sadie. He swayed back on his heels and stared at the floor.

"I'm sorry for anything I did wrong" he mumbled sadly.

Sadie put her hands on Embry's cheeks and lifted his face a little. Even in these few short moments, I could see that both of them had perked up a little.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, you daft banana" she said, laughing quietly.

I looked at Paul and Andrea and nodded my head towards the door. Sadie and Embry could work out their differences alone, without an audience.

As we walked upstairs and into my room, a took Paul's hand and leant against his arm. I was so lucky to have him, and it was only now after everything that had happened, that I realised just how important he was. Andrea smiled knowingly and I shoved her shoulder slightly as we reached my room, but she was like family to me now as well.

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry for the long wait and abrupt ending! Hope this is ok for all of you! I had massive writers block for ages!**

**Please review!**

**x**


	29. Chapter 29

*peeps head through gap in fanfictions*

Hi guys!

Well it's been nearly 2 years since I last updated this but would anyone want me to carry on and get it finished?

Let me know!


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